US Congressman Scott Perry has accused the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) of funding terrorist organizations, including Boko Haram. Perry, a Republican from Pennsylvania, made these claims during the inaugural hearing of the Subcommittee on Delivering on Government Efficiency, focused on government inefficiency, fraud, and improper payments.
Perry alleged that USAID funds, totaling $697 million annually, were being used to support groups such as ISIS, Al-Qaeda, Boko Haram, and other terrorist training camps. He also criticized a USAID-funded project in Pakistan, claiming $136 million allocated for 120 schools lacked evidence of their construction. Perry further questioned the allocation of funds to programs like the Women’s Scholarship Endowment and Young Women Lead, arguing that such initiatives were ineffective given the challenges women face in Taliban-controlled Afghanistan.
Perry’s remarks reflect a broader concern, echoed by former President Donald Trump, who has called for the closure of USAID, accusing it of corruption and misuse of taxpayer funds. Trump and his ally Elon Musk have been vocal in criticizing the agency, with Musk labeling it a “viper’s nest of radical-left Marxists” and pledging to shut it down.
