A United States Congressman, Scott Perry, has accused the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) of funding terrorist organizations, including Boko Haram.
Speaking during the inaugural hearing of the Subcommittee on Delivering on Government Efficiency on Thursday, Perry alleged that USAID has been channeling funds into extremist groups under the guise of development aid.
During the session titled “The War on Waste: Stamping Out the Scourge of Improper Payments and Fraud,” Perry specifically mentioned that USAID had allocated $136 million for the construction of 120 schools in Pakistan, yet there was “zero evidence” of these schools being built.
He went further to claim that USAID funding was being diverted to terrorist networks.
“Who gets some of that money? Does that name ring a bell to anybody in the room? Because your money—your money—$697 million annually, plus the shipments of cash funds in Madrasas, ISIS, Al-Qaeda, Boko Haram, ISIS Khorasan, terrorist training camps. That’s what it’s funding,” Perry stated.
“You are funding terrorism, and it’s coming through USAID. And it’s not just Afghanistan, because Pakistan’s right next door. Somebody else got the money. You are paying for terrorism. This has got to end,” he added.
The claims echo past criticisms of USAID, particularly during the administration of former U.S. President Donald Trump, who had sought to shut down the agency, accusing it of corruption and mismanagement.
Meanwhile, billionaire entrepreneur Elon Musk has also voiced his disapproval of USAID, calling it “a viper’s nest of radical-left Marxists who hate America.” Musk, who has been vocal about government spending inefficiencies, has vowed to support efforts to dismantle the agency.
As the controversy unfolds, USAID has yet to respond to these explosive allegations, which could have far-reaching implications for U.S. foreign aid policies.