The President Trump-appointed official who oversaw the dismantling of USAID has abruptly left his role after less than three months in the job, a US official has said.
Pete Marocco had been serving as director for the Office of Foreign Assistance since January for the State Department, and masterminded the shutting down of the US Agency for International Development during his brief tenure as its deputy administrator.
Marocco only learned that his role was coming to an end during a White House meeting late last week when he was asked to turn in his agency badge and laptop, the Wall Street Journal reported.
He had allegedly clashed with Secretary of State Marco Rubio over the extent of the cuts, which saw 83% of USAID funding to overseas projects canceled since President Trump’s inauguration.
A US Marine Corps veteran, Marocco also served in President Trump’s first administration in various roles at the State Department and USAID as well as in the Pentagon and the Commerce Department.
The State Department is forecast to deliver a reorganization plan today to the Office of Management and Budget, explaining how it will fold the remainder of USAID into its infrastructure.