Photo: Getty Images
Pete Marocco, who was appointed by President Donald Trump as the director for the Office of Foreign Assistance for the State Department, which included overseeing the dismantling of the U.S. Agency for International Development, is leaving his role after less than three months, a U.S. official confirmed to the Wall Street Journal Sunday (April 13) night.
Marocco was reportedly notified that his role was concluding during a White House meeting late last week, at which point he was asked to give back his agency badge and laptop. The U.S. Marine Corps veteran allegedly clashed with Secretary of State Marco Rubio over cuts made by the Trump administration, which included the cancelation of 83% of USAID funding to overseas projects since January.
"Pete was brought to State with a big mission to conduct an exhaustive review of every dollar spent on foreign assistance,” a senior administration official told the Independent on the condition of anonymity. “He conducted that historic task and exposed egregious abuses of taxpayer dollars. "We all expect big things are in store for Pete on his next mission.”
Marocco had previously served various roles in Trump's first of two non-consecutive administrations at the State Department, USAID, Pentagon and Commerce Department. The State Department is reportedly expected to announce its reorganization plan to the Office of Management and Budget on Monday (April 14), which will include an explanation on how the remainder of USAID will be folded into its infrastructure.