Washington (AP): A senior official from Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) has been appointed to a leadership position at the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), marking a significant development in the agency’s ongoing restructuring under the Trump administration.
According to an email obtained by The Associated Press, Jeremy Lewin, a key figure in DOGE’s government-cutting initiatives, has been named deputy administrator for policy and programs at USAID and chief operating officer. The move places a DOGE official at the helm of an agency that Musk’s team has played a major role in dismantling.
Lewin’s appointment comes as Pete Marocco, a political appointee who previously served as deputy head of USAID, transitions to the State Department as director of foreign assistance. Marocco’s email to State Department staff confirmed that Secretary of State Marco Rubio had designated Lewin for the new role.
Under Musk’s oversight, DOGE has led sweeping cuts across the federal government, with USAID facing an 83% reduction in its contracts and many of its remaining programs being transferred under the State Department’s jurisdiction. The aggressive downsizing has been met with both praise and backlash, with some applauding the effort to streamline government spending, while others warn that it undermines critical humanitarian and development initiatives.
The appointment comes amid ongoing legal battles over DOGE’s authority to reshape USAID. On Tuesday, a federal judge in Maryland ruled that Musk and DOGE likely lacked the constitutional authority to carry out these changes, halting further cuts to the agency. The ruling, in response to a lawsuit from USAID employees and contractors, argued that DOGE was exercising powers reserved for elected or Senate-confirmed officials.
Despite the ruling, the Trump administration continues to push for changes at USAID. Rubio also named Kenneth Jackson as administrator for management and resources, in addition to his role as chief financial officer at USAID. Jackson was recently appointed as acting president of the U.S. Institute for Peace, a government think tank focused on conflict resolution.
As discussions continue within State Department and USAID circles over which foreign assistance programs to preserve, the appointment of Lewin signals a deeper integration of DOGE’s agenda within the federal government, further shaping the administration’s approach to foreign aid and government efficiency.