Who is Samantha Power? Meet the Biden-era USAID leader facing backlash amid Musk’s DOGE crackdown

The United States Agency for International Development (USAI) has recently become the aim of the efforts of Elon Musk’s Doge efforts to reduce state waste and expenses and to investigate Samantha Power, the administrator of the agency during almost the entire bidding management, to increase.

Power, who previously worked as an ambassador of the United States from the United Nations in the Obama administration from 2013 to 2017, of billions of dollars that are budgeted for foreign help.

“One of the most urgent challenges for our nation is the restoration and strengthening of the world leadership of America as an advocate of democracy, human rights and the dignity of all people” appointment of power. “Only a few Americans are better equipped to run this work as ambassador Samantha Power.”

Power was directly involved in the surveillance of the Obama government on Trump’s presidential campaign in 2016 and tried to obtain Michael Flynn’s reduced identity with a “exposure” request on at least seven occasions, Fox News Digital previously reportedAlthough she said under oath in front of the House Intelligence Committee, she “had no memory” on ever making such a request.

USAID is deploying the headquarters for employees on Monday when Musk says that Trump supports the locking agency

Fox news Registered in 2017 In the past few months of the Obama government, this power was so quickly made that it had more than one request for every working day in 2016, and in the days before President Trump was inaugurated, she even looked for information . Several sources near the matter.

The term of office of Power in USAID was also not without controversy, even from her own party, including an incident in which she was stood out of a public revolt of current and former employees in 2024 for their support from Israel.

Critics also questioned themselves with their repeated meeting with influential liberal foundations, while it served in her role in USAID, the FOX News Digital Registered in 2023At least twice, the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation by George Soros’ Open Society foundations, at least five times, as well as meetings with several other powerful groups such as Ford and Rockefeller Foundations.

The supporters of Power say that they played a crucial role in supporting war zones such as Ukraine and Gaza and supported the relief of humanitarian crises that have developed in places such as Haiti, Armenia and Sudan.

“The best will for the contribution from USAID is the increase in the propaganda supported by PRC and supported by Russia, which is evil and our work all over the world.” Said power In an exit interview with Politico last month. “And in the past year and a half it has really taken up.

USAID has “shown patterns of obstructionism”, claims that the top republican in Rubio for Top -Doke Republicans

Power, who is married to the former official of the Obama administration and Professor Cass Sunstein, added: “We are an agency that has thousands of people around the world who represent the United States, both because it is in the interest of The American people are to have health systems that have the health systems that have them that are safer and can recognize infectious diseases and tackle them, change the regulations so that American companies will invest more easily, but also show up and show the importance of the investment in the partnership – and not to invest in a way that only leaves the countries with debt.

USAID has increasingly questioned Republicans because of his alleged financing of research in connection with the Coronavirus at the Wuhan Institute of Virology in China and millions, the LGBT rights abroad and dozens of dollars for migrant crises in other countries, in other countries, supported, in other countries, in other countries, in other countries. Like the almost 45 million US dollars, which are offered for food support and economic support for Venezuelan migrants in Colombia.

Meet the young team of Software engineers who have state waste at Doge: Report: Report

Democrats counters that the agency plays an important role in the US security interests and says that it should remain independent. They indicate the work that USAD has done to counter the Soviet influence during the Cold War, an area of ​​influence that could remain a problem in the China’s belt and street initiative.

The chairman of Tech billionaire and Doge, Elon Musk level.

Over the weekend, Musk announced in an audio message on X that “we are” closed “in the process” by “USAID”.

“On Friday, February 7, 2025, at 11:59 p.m. (EST), all direct rental companies of the USAID direct rental will be placed in administrative leave worldwide, with the exception of the proven staff who is responsible for mission-critical functions, core leadership and specially designated programs, And specially designated programs, “The USAID website is currently saying. “The essential staff who is expected to continue working will be informed by Thursday, February 6th, at 3:00 p.m. (EST) by the management of the agency.”

A digital review of Fox News from USAID’s recent history shows that it was repeatedly accused of financial mismanagement and corruption before Trump’s second administration. The expenses that took place during the reign of Power was probably still a focus of the conversation with the Republicans.

Senator Tom Cotton, R-Kark. Time.

A Syrian citizen named Mahmoud Al Hafyan, 53, was charged with the Al-Nusrah front, also known as Hay’at Tahrir al-Sham in November 2024, is a proven terrorist organization with connections to al-Qaida.

The government responsibility office published a report in 2023 that found that both the USA and the National Institutes of Health of Health at American universities and a non -profit organization have instructed the way to Chinese groups, including the Wuhan Institute of Virology.

Eight auditors and employees In 2014, the Washington Post was the alarm for the general inspector of the General Inspector of USAID that negative results of the work of the agency were removed from final reports and audits.

Trump repeatedly proposed to reduce the budget of foreign aid for USAID and the Foreign Ministry during its first government, including the proposals in his first year in office to reduce the budget by 37%, which the congress had rejected.

“With debts of 20 trillion US dollars, the government has to learn to tighten its belt,” said Trump in 2017 and was committed to the cuts.

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Power sat with Stephen Colbert with late evening on Tuesday evening, defended the work of USAID and warned against struggling, and claimed that children in overseas were instructed for treatment with tuberculosis in overseas that they were going home due to Trump’s executive order should go.

“Programs, the people, the people, of whom we have in some cases for life -saving medicine, such as medicine when they have HIV said Colbert. “Or if you are in Sudan and have a child who wastes a miracle paste, a miracle paste, a petroleum paste that offers USAID, brings this child back from the brink of death. All of these programs are closed.”

Democratic legislators took part in part Rally against Dogy On Tuesday outside the finance department, the argument argued that Musk’s actions were unconstitutional and a threat to democracy.

“My heart is with the people on the street outside of the USA, but my head tells me: ‘Man, Trump will be very happy to have this fight’, ‘”, David Axelrod, the experienced strategist David Axelrod, with power in the Obama government served. said this week. “When they talk about cuts, people say first: foreign help.”

Caitlin Mcfall, Emma Colton and Gregg from FOX News Digital have contributed to this report