The United States Agency for International Development (USAID) will officially shut down on Friday, marking the end of an agency that has long been at the center of global aid efforts—but is also increasingly under scrutiny for allegations of waste, corruption, and political interference. Under the direction of President Donald Trump, the agency is being absorbed into the State Department, with most of its staff set to be furloughed. The decision comes after the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), led by Elon Musk, uncovered a complex web of financial irregularities and political entanglements.
The move has sparked outrage among Democrats, who have been vocal in their opposition to dismantling the agency. However, recent investigative reporting has provided potential insight into why USAID’s closure is causing such concern among its defenders. Reports indicate that the agency may have played a significant role in the 2019 impeachment of President Trump, particularly through its alleged connections with the Organized Crime and Corruption Reporting Project (OCCRP)—a group cited multiple times by the CIA whistleblower who launched the impeachment proceedings.
Independent journalists Michael Shellenberger and Alex Gutentag conducted an in-depth investigation into the ties between USAID and OCCRP, revealing that the agency appears to have had a level of influence over the group’s agenda, hiring practices, and mission. OCCRP, which claims to be an independent investigative journalism organization, has responded by threatening legal action against Shellenberger and other reporters who have exposed these connections. However, additional reporting from Drop Site News, a publication founded by former Intercept journalists, further corroborates these allegations.
A key detail that has raised concerns is the claim that OCCRP was effectively operating as an arm of USAID and, by extension, the U.S. government. According to a 2024 documentary by German broadcaster NDR, a USAID official confirmed that the agency had approval over OCCRP’s annual work plan and key personnel hires. These claims suggest that USAID may have exerted editorial influence over OCCRP’s reporting, potentially shaping narratives that later influenced U.S. politics, including Trump’s impeachment.
According to Drop Site News, the CIA whistleblower’s complaint cited OCCRP reports four times, further reinforcing concerns that USAID and OCCRP were not merely engaging in journalism but were potentially involved in political operations. OCCRP co-founder Drew Sullivan has publicly admitted that his organization has been involved in “five or six” regime change operations worldwide, further blurring the lines between investigative journalism and political activism.
USAID’s defenders say it’s about charity and development in poor nations. It’s not. It’s a $40 billion driver of regime change abroad. And now the evidence suggests that it, along with the CIA, were behind the 2019 impeachment of Trump — an illegal regime change effort at home. pic.twitter.com/6HxUPiVpFX
— Michael Shellenberger (@shellenberger) February 5, 2025
The issue has been further complicated by allegations that NDR, the German broadcaster, attempted to censor its documentary under pressure from Sullivan. A USAID official quoted in the investigation also stated that USAID had “substantial involvement” in OCCRP’s operations, casting doubt on OCCRP’s claims of editorial independence.
The financial connections between USAID and major U.S. media outlets have also come under scrutiny. Reports indicate that millions of taxpayer dollars were directed to publications, including Politico, The New York Times, Associated Press, and Reuters, raising questions about the extent to which USAID funding may have influenced domestic media coverage.
OCCRP has denied allegations that USAID exerted direct editorial control, but internal documents reviewed by multiple outlets suggest otherwise. In response to these revelations, USAID and OCCRP have issued strong denials, but the evidence of intertwined operations remains a focal point of the ongoing investigation.
REPORT: USAID and the CIA secretly worked to impeach Donald Trump from office in 2019
Journalist @Shellenberger says USAID and the CIA helped organize Trump’s impeachment by using a whistleblower complaint based on secondhand information and a government-backed media operation… pic.twitter.com/au6LQHoPd0
— The Vigilant Fox 🦊 (@VigilantFox) February 6, 2025
With USAID shutting down, questions remain about what additional revelations may come to light. The agency’s overseas missions are scheduled to cease operations on Friday, but the broader investigation into USAID’s role in domestic and foreign political influence efforts is far from over. The Department of Government Efficiency is expected to continue reviewing financial records and grant allocations, with further disclosures anticipated in the coming weeks.
