Trump Appoints Musk Associate to Lead Foreign Aid at State Dept/ Newslooks/ WASHINGTON/ J. Mansour/ Morning Edition/ The Trump administration has appointed Jeremy Lewin, a close associate of Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency, as acting head of foreign assistance at the State Department. Lewin’s new role grants Musk’s team deeper influence over U.S. foreign aid amid ongoing efforts to shrink global humanitarian spending. The move follows the exit of Pete Marocco, who reportedly clashed with senior officials over foreign aid cuts.
Musk Associate Appointed to Lead Foreign Aid – Quick Looks
- New Appointment: Jeremy Lewin now serves as acting head of foreign assistance.
- DOGE Connection: Lewin is a close adviser in Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency.
- Aid Under Fire: Trump aims to slash U.S. foreign aid, once totaling $52 billion.
- USAID Cuts: Lewin helped lead dismantling efforts at the U.S. Agency for International Development.
- Marocco Out: Former foreign aid chief Pete Marocco has departed amid reported internal disputes.
- Rubio Conflict: Marocco clashed with Secretary of State Marco Rubio and GOP lawmakers.
- Musk’s Growing Influence: The DOGE team now holds one of its most senior federal roles.
- State Department Control: Musk’s efficiency team has new power in foreign policy and funding decisions.
Trump Appoints Musk Associate to Lead Foreign Aid at State Dept
Deep Look
WASHINGTON — The Trump administration has significantly widened the influence of Elon Musk’s government-efficiency initiative within the State Department, appointing Musk ally Jeremy Lewin as acting head of all U.S. foreign assistance programs, a senior U.S. official confirmed Monday.
The appointment grants the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) one of its most powerful formal roles to date, signaling a new phase in President Trump’s aggressive effort to scale back global aid initiatives and centralize executive power across federal agencies.
Lewin, a key lieutenant of Musk’s policy team, was previously tasked with overseeing the phased dismantling of the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) — a mission aligned with Trump’s longstanding promise to prioritize domestic spending over global humanitarian aid.
Shift in Foreign Aid Leadership
The appointment follows the departure of Pete Marocco, a Trump political appointee who had led the administration’s foreign assistance policy until recently. Marocco’s tenure was marked by deep staff and funding cuts at USAID, but he reportedly clashed with Secretary of State Marco Rubio and members of Congress over the scale and pace of those reductions.
State Department insiders credited Marocco with executing much of the administration’s foreign aid rollback agenda, but his hardline approach on spending and staff reductions reportedly created tension within the department’s leadership.
Massive Cuts on the Horizon
Lewin now steps into a pivotal role as the Trump administration continues advancing its plan to drastically cut the more than $52 billion spent in 2024 on global development, humanitarian relief, and health initiatives.
These programs, administered jointly by the State Department and USAID, have long been championed by both Republican and Democratic lawmakers as critical tools of soft power, diplomatic influence, and global stability.
But Lewin’s appointment signals a continuation — and possibly acceleration — of the administration’s plan to redirect those funds. Under Musk’s guidance, DOGE has promoted a “zero-based budgeting” philosophy for federal spending, requiring each dollar to be justified annually rather than maintained through legacy funding structures.
DOGE Ascending in Washington
Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency was established under Trump’s executive order in early 2025 as part of a broader government restructuring push. Its stated goal is to reduce federal bureaucracy and eliminate redundant or inefficient programs — but critics have accused the initiative of undermining vital public services and centralizing power under politically loyal technocrats.
Lewin’s new role marks one of DOGE’s highest-profile federal appointments, putting Musk’s reformist team in direct control of U.S. global aid strategy, funding disbursement, and program oversight.
The State Department has not formally announced Lewin’s appointment. However, a senior official who spoke on the condition of anonymity said Lewin had already begun transition meetings with key department staff and would serve in the role on an “acting” basis until further notice.
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