USAID official suspended after deadly aid cut warning

Nicholas Enrich, a senior USAID official, warned in a memo Sunday that dismantling the agency would lead to unnecessary deaths. Less than 30 minutes later, he announced he was placed on administrative leave.

Enrich’s memo criticized "political leadership" for blocking humanitarian aid, contradicting Secretary of State Marco Rubio’s assurances that critical assistance would continue despite President Trump and Elon Musk’s cost-cutting push.

A source said Enrich’s suspension was decided before he sent the memo. The State Department and DOGE did not comment, and Enrich did not respond to inquiries.

Blocked USAID programs include efforts to contain an Ebola outbreak in Uganda. Enrich warned that USAID’s shutdown would result in tens of thousands of preventable deaths and pose a global security risk.

The administration recently canceled nearly 10,000 foreign aid grants worth $60 billion, ending about 90% of USAID’s work. Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency has spearheaded this drastic federal downsizing, disrupting global relief efforts.

Despite a temporary waiver for lifesaving aid, Enrich claimed political appointees obstructed payments, causing confusion over which programs qualified for funding.

He estimated that a year-long freeze could lead to up to 166,000 additional malaria deaths and a rise in tuberculosis and Ebola cases.