USAID's green energy programs may have done more "harm" to developing nations than anything else, according to a former official at the U.S. Agency for International Development.
"I can't think of anything that's harmed the developing world more than the climate agenda," said Max Primorac, a top USAID official under President Donald Trump's first administration, when asked about programs that had run afoul of American interests throughout the world.
"The strong counter-China infrastructure that we developed over at USAID was simply dismantled by the next administration," he told lawmakers at a House Foreign Affairs Committee hearing entitled, "USAID Betrayal."
"[USAID] has pushed all of these countries, especially in Africa, to go green. Solar, wind, EV: who produces all of those materials? It's China. Then, on top of it, we tell them, 'No, you can't develop your own fossil fuel industry because it's, it's anti-green.' So, what happens? They can't generate the revenues to create good jobs at home. They can't generate the revenues in order to finance their own health, education and other needs."
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Primorac claimed that green energy infrastructure in developing countries "increases the price of energy."
According to Primorac, 19 of the top 20 countries receiving USAID are part of China's Belt and Road Initiative, securing aid from the CCP in exchange for influence.
Primorac said that developing nations "want more trade, they want more investment," but "resentment" is building in conservative countries who don't want "woke things."
The Trump administration, upon assuming office, instituted a 90-day pause on all foreign aid. Trump fired USAID's inspector general Paul Martin this week after he wrote a report claiming Elon Musk and the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE)'s efforts to dismantle USAID had prevented him from conducting oversight on unspent aid of up to $8.5 billion. Martin's report claimed that about $500 million worth of food aid is at risk of spoiling as it sits in ports while USAID staff in other nations have been called back and placed on leave.
USAID has now been placed under the purview of the State Department and is in the process of whittling down its staff from 10,000 to fewer than 300.
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Republican witnesses at the hearing largely agreed that foreign aid was important to fighting global disease outbreaks and securing U.S. interests throughout the world, but USAID's reputation had been "tarnished" by "mission creep," as former GOP Rep. Ted Yoho, Fla., said.
But Yoho, who said he came to Congress to slash foreign aid before realizing its importance throughout the world, and Andrew Natsios, USAID administrator under President George W. Bush, warned that a blanket freeze on aid throughout the world would be detrimental.
"By pausing U.S. international assistance, a vacuum is created. China, Russia, or others are already moving in to fill those voids," said Yoho.
"Not being effectively present can be arguably worse than pausing a program. And all you have to do is look at South and Central America and look at how much we've ceded to China and their influence from Russia, China and Iran. That has to be dealt with immediately. That's a national security threat."
Natsios said he was "appalled" by how the Biden administration had roped USAID into "culture wars."
"It's a failure," he said. "All of the things I did at AID, I tried to do it in a way that would not alienate the Democratic Party when I left."
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But he noted that "woke" programs were a "small percentage" of the USAID budget, and the agency gives $1 billion per year to Christian NGOs.
Republicans claim there is a waiver process, but aid advocates have said NGOs and charities do not know how to apply for the waiver, and if they receive one, no one at USAID is operating the payment systems that dole out funds.
"I've met with these Christian groups, even though they have the waivers, the Phoenix system is not operating," said Natsios, referring to the agency's financial program. "Please do something about it."
During the hearing, Republicans also pointed to USAID-funded NGOs that were conducting abortions, a program that sent millions of taxpayer dollars to dole out condoms in Afghanistan and Mozambique, $20 million for drag shows in Ecuador and $500,000 to promote atheism in Nepal.
"All of these programs gave USAID a black eye and that's unfortunate," said Rep. Michael McCaul, R-Texas, a former chairman of the committee who claimed USAID "blew through" his holds on their controversial programs.
Foreign Affairs Chairman Brian Mast agreed. "When done right, foreign aid can be one of the best tools. It can help strengthen our relationships with our allies and help countries realize America is the best for them," he said.
He promised that more aid oversight was to come.
"We are going to bring in individuals who were responsible for putting these horrible policies in place and reveal all the receipts, videos - all of it - for the American people to see."
