Gender reassignment and opera in Colombia: White House reveals questionable USAID spending

4 February 12:57

The administration of US President Donald Trump has released a summary report on abuses at the US Agency for International Development (USAID), Komersant ukrainskyi reports.

“For decades, the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) has been unaccountable to taxpayers, while funneling vast sums of money to the pointless – and, in many cases, malicious – pet projects of entrenched bureaucrats, with little or no oversight,” the White House said.

The report cites examples of “large-scale waste and projects” that have outraged the Trump Administration.

Among the most high-profile expenses:

  • $2 million to support LGBT activism and gender reassignment in Guatemala.
  • 1.5 million dollars to promote equality and inclusion in business in Serbia.
  • 6 million dollars for tourism development in Egypt.
  • 2.5 million dollars for the purchase of electric vehicles for Vietnam.
  • 47 thousand dollars to create a “transgender opera” in Colombia.
  • 32 thousand dollars – for the production of a “transgender comic book” in Peru.
  • 70 thousand dollars – for the production of a “DEI musical” in Ireland.

Funding that favored extremists

The report also showed that hundreds of thousands of dry rations, which were supposed to be used for humanitarian needs, ended up in the hands of militants affiliated with al-Qaeda in Syria.

Another disturbing item was the information about the financing of irrigation canals and agricultural equipment in Afghanistan, which, according to estimates, supported record poppy cultivation and heroin production. As a result, these resources ended up under the control of the Taliban.

White House reaction

In a statement, the administration said that for decades, USAID had spent billions of dollars without proper oversight, funding “wasteful and malicious” projects. The White House emphasized that under Donald Trump’s leadership, such practices will be stopped.

“Under President Trump, waste, fraud, and abuse stops now,” the White House emphasized.

Reduction of international aid and US government spending

Under Trump’s “America First” policy, the US administration has frozen most foreign aid programs, which has already caused global turmoil. In particular, field hospitals in refugee camps in Thailand, demining programs in war zones, and the supply of medicines for millions of people with HIV are under threat.

Thanks to this, the Trump administration can reduce the US budget deficit by $1 trillion next year.

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The role of USAID for the world and Ukraine

After Trump took office, the United States suspended funding for all USAID projects for 90 days.

USAID was the largest donor of humanitarian aid in the world. Thus, in fiscal year 2023, the United States allocated $72 billion for a variety of projects ranging from women’s health care in conflict zones to access to clean water, HIV/AIDS treatment, energy security, and anti-corruption. According to UN estimates, in 2024, USAID provided 42% of all humanitarian aid in the world.

In Ukraine, IDPs, energy, small businesses, the Ministry of Digital Transformation, and independent media are under attack – last year, USAID allocated more than $5 billion to Ukraine.

A number of Ukrainian organizations have suspended their activities. Many local government projects have been suspended. For example, in Mykolaiv, dozens of projects have been put on hold, ranging from energy independence to security projects. Ivona Kostyna, co-founder of Veteran Hub, posted on Facebook that the organization was forced to close the Veterans Support Line and the Hub in Vinnytsia.

The full list of programs and organizations that have lost USAID funding in Ukraine is available at .

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Остафійчук Ярослав
Editor