A recent investigation by the Middle East Forum, a U.S. think tank, has revealed that the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) funneled millions of dollars to organizations connected with designated terrorist groups.
According to the report published on February 4, USAID has approved $164 million in grants to extremist organizations, with at least $122 million going to entities aligned with or supportive of terrorists. The study criticizes the lack of oversight, noting that “billions more of federal dollars have been given to leading American aid charities which have consistently failed to vet their terror-tied local partners.”
One of the highlighted cases involves the Bayader Association for Environment and Development in Gaza, which received over $900,000 from USAID. Bayader, established post-Hamas‘s control of Gaza in 2007, operates in collaboration with Hamas authorities and received its latest funding just days before the October 7, 2023, attack by Hamas on Israel.
The report further details how these funds were often channeled through intermediary NGOs, including Catholic Relief Services. It notes direct coordination between USAID and Bayader, including social media endorsements and office visits by USAID officials.
Another significant grant was a $12.5 million allocation to the American Near East Refugee Agency in 2024, a long-term ally of Bayader. Employees of this agency have been found posting anti-Semitic and pro-terrorist sentiments online, such as calling for the eradication of Jews and praising the October 7 attacks.
Sam Westrop from the Middle East Forum’s Islamist Watch project highlighted additional concerning connections, including USAID’s funding to the Unlimited Friends Association and Islamic Relief, both linked to Hamas or its officials.
The report also touches on a 2015 case where USAID funds were indirectly given to the Islamic Relief Agency (ISRA), despite its known terrorist affiliations, through the Christian charity World Vision. World Vision has since defended its actions, asserting they did not knowingly fund terrorism and are committed to humanitarian integrity.
Amid these revelations, USAID is currently under scrutiny by the Trump administration’s Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), led by Elon Musk, which is examining its spending practices. Interim USAID Director Secretary of State Marco Rubio is overseeing this scrutiny, with discussions around possibly reorganizing or even abolishing the agency, as indicated by Rubio’s recent communications with Congress.
This situation has led to widespread examination of USAID’s activities, with critics pointing to past questionable expenditures, like funding cultural projects in conflict zones. The future of USAID remains uncertain as it navigates these allegations and the potential for significant restructuring or closure.
