Key Points:

• Jeremy Lewin, a member of Elon Musk's Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), has been appointed to a senior role at USAID.
• Pete Marocco, who previously oversaw significant cuts to USAID, will return to the State Department as Director of Foreign Assistance.
• Critics argue the dismantling of USAID under Trump's administration could harm essential foreign aid programs.

In a recent internal email, it was announced that Jeremy Lewin of Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) is stepping into a prominent role at the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), effectively giving DOGE greater control over an agency it has been involved in dismantling. This development correlates with the agency's ongoing reduction in operations, reported to be as high as 83% of its contracts being eliminated. Pete Marocco, who served as the agency’s acting deputy administrator, indicated in his communication that he is returning to the State Department to take on the role of Director of Foreign Assistance.

Within his email, Marocco noted that Secretary of State Marco Rubio designated Lewin to assume the position of deputy administrator for policy and programs at USAID and chief operating officer. According to ABC News, Marocco emphasized the need to bring value back to the American people following a comprehensive review of USAID's activities.

However, legal challenges loom over these governmental shifts, with a federal judge recently ruling that actions by Musk and DOGE may be unconstitutional, asserting that such modifications should be executed by confirmed officials rather than political appointees. This ruling follows previous actions taken by the Trump administration aimed at reassessing the alignment of foreign aid programs with national interests.

Critics, including aid workers and opposition leaders, argue that eliminating a large portion of USAID's funding will drastically reduce support for vulnerable populations worldwide, particularly in regions reliant on U.S. humanitarian assistance. The ongoing political changes at USAID reflect broader controversies surrounding the Trump administration's approach to foreign aid, with many actions facing scrutiny in the courts.

Marocco's email also mentioned that key appointments would include Ken Jackson, who is set to serve as the deputy administrator for management and resources and CFO, amidst continued consolidation of authorities under the DOGE umbrella.

For further details, visit CBS News.