Trump has been on the warpath to root out bad actors in government. And he’s been handed a massive win.
Because he was totally vindicated after an internal audit showed massive corruption.
GAO Report Exposes USADF’s Fraud Vulnerabilities
A September 15, Government Accountability Office (GAO) report revealed significant deficiencies in the U.S. African Development Foundation (USADF), which disburses tens of millions in taxpayer funds annually to African projects but lacks robust anti-fraud controls.
The report highlighted that USADF has not had a contracting officer since 2011, has no written policies for overseeing contractors, and lacks sufficient staff to monitor grants effectively.
Employees admitted to investigators that existing policies were outdated, hard to locate, and inadequate, with the agency’s last major fraud control overhaul dating back to 2012.
Key positions, including an audit staff member, training officer, and financial analyst, have been vacant for months or years, exacerbating risks. The GAO concluded, “This is because the agency did not prioritize obtaining or dedicating the personnel to maintain policies and implement fraud risk management tasks.”
USADF accepted the findings and pledged corrective action, contingent on its continued operation, amid legal battles over its future and a partial funding rescission by Congress.
Trump’s Critique Validated by Systemic Failures
President Trump’s push to eliminate USADF’s $46 million 2025 budget, labeling it a prime example of waste and abuse, is substantiated by the GAO’s findings of systemic mismanagement.
The report confirms Trump’s concerns, noting USADF’s lack of a strategic approach to mitigate fraud, waste, and abuse, as evidenced by incidents like a grant recipient funneling funds to a relative and another misusing funds to purchase a vehicle involved in a fatal crash, as reported by an inspector general in 2024.
Sen. James E. Risch, who requested the GAO investigation, echoed Trump’s stance, stating, “USADF had no strategic approach and was not properly mitigating fraud, waste and abuse. It’s time for Congress to act on my bill to abolish this irredeemably broken agency.”
Trump’s February executive order to eliminate non-statutory functions of USADF and similar agencies like the Inter-American Foundation reflects his commitment to curbing inefficient use of taxpayer dollars, validated by the agency’s failure to implement basic oversight mechanisms, leaving it vulnerable to misuse of funds.
Left’s Defense of USADF Reflects Cancel Culture Hypocrisy
The Left’s opposition to Trump’s efforts to defund and dismantle USADF mirrors their cancel culture tactics, which have long targeted conservative initiatives while defending flawed institutions when it suits their agenda.
Progressive groups and former USADF head Ward Brehm, who sued to block his ouster, have fought to preserve the agency’s funding pipeline, with a federal judge in July ordering USADF to restore its grant process.
However, the GAO report undermines their defense, revealing a lack of accountability that risks taxpayer funds being misused, as seen in cases of fraudulent grant disbursements. The Left’s push to maintain USADF, despite its documented failures, parallels their pattern of shielding underperforming programs while aggressively criticizing conservative policies without evidence.
Trump’s move to wind down the agency, though criticized by the GAO for leaving insufficient staff to close out grants, aims to prevent further waste—a goal the Left often champions selectively. By exposing USADF’s vulnerabilities, Trump’s actions turn the Left’s accountability demands back on them, highlighting their inconsistent standards when their preferred programs face scrutiny.
