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U.S. Congressman Scott Perry Accuses USAID of Financing Boko Haram, Others
A United States congressman, Scott Perry, has accused the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) of financing terror groups such as the Islamic State, al-Qaeda, and their local affiliates, including Boko Haram.
Perry made these remarks on Thursday during the inaugural session of the Congress’ Subcommittee on Delivering on Government Efficiency (DOGE), an advisory body created by U.S. President Donald Trump, who appointed billionaire entrepreneur Elon Musk to lead it.
The advisory body was established to cut U.S. government spending but has faced criticism for allegedly interfering with or halting the operations of several government agencies, including USAID, which has since suspended all its global operations.
While Trump has repeatedly accused USAID of corruption, Musk has described the agency as a “viper’s nest of radical-left Marxists who hate America.”
He also claimed that USAID was involved in “rogue CIA work” and had funded bioweapon research, including COVID-19-related projects.
Most of the allegations against USAID remain unproven, with Trump’s critics, including many Democrats, arguing that he and Musk are deliberately misrepresenting the agency’s work to justify its dismantling.
Read more: Federal Judge Blocks Trump’s USAID Cuts, Orders Temporary Restoration of Foreign Aid
During the congressional session, Perry alleged that USAID’s $697 million annual budget, including cash shipments to Islamic schools (madrasas), had inadvertently funded terrorist training camps and extremist groups.
He claimed that taxpayer money was financing ISIS, al-Qaeda, Boko Haram, and ISIS-Khorasan.
He also criticized USAID’s $136 million expenditure on building 120 schools in Pakistan, alleging that the schools were never constructed.
However, he did not provide evidence to support these claims, leading many Democrats to accuse Republicans of seeking to demonize the aid agency to justify its termination.
