USAID Official Steps Down Amid Controversy Over Agency Dismantling

(WASHINGTON) — Pete Marocco, a key official in the Trump administration, announced on March 19, 2025, that he will step down from his role as the deputy administrator of the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) and return to his previous position at the State Department. Marocco’s announcement arrived via an email obtained by ABC News, revealing his plans to re-assume the role of Director of Foreign Assistance.

In the email, Marocco expressed pride in his work, stating, “It’s been my honor to assist Secretary Rubio in his leadership of USAID through some difficult stages to pivot this enterprise away from its abuses of the past. Now that USAID is under control, accountable, and stable, I am going to return to my post to bring value back to the American people.” His resignation raises questions about the future direction of the agency.

Marocco was appointed as USAID’s deputy administrator in early February. His tenure has been marked by substantial efforts to dismantle the agency, a process which included significant layoffs, cuts to more than 80% of its programs, and the relocation of its main office out of Washington, D.C. Despite his claims of stability, many of these initiatives are currently facing legal challenges, with a recent court ruling questioning the dismantling efforts.

A State Department official confirmed that Marocco would vacate his role, with Jeremy Lewin and Ken Jackson stepping in as USAID’s new leaders—Lewin as Chief Operating Officer and Deputy Administrator for Policy and Programs, and Jackson as Chief Financial Officer and Deputy Administrator for Management and Resources. Lewin, who graduated from Harvard Law School in 2022, has worked with the administration on the agency’s restructuring, yet lacks prior government experience.

Critics of the administration’s changes to USAID argue that the cuts will severely diminish U.S. influence abroad and adversely impact vulnerable populations globally that rely on U.S. support for basic health care, food, and other essential services. In his email, Marocco acknowledged the severity of the issues at USAID, stating, “the crisis-level issues that had plagued USAID were far worse than we anticipated,” and called it a privilege to help increase accountability and transparency within the agency.