USAID funded college tuition for al Qaeda terrorist who lied to gain aid

The US Agency for International Development (USAID) fully funded the college tuition of Anwar Aulaqi, an individual who later became a terrorist for Al-Qaeda.

According to Fox News’ Catherine Herridge, Aulaqi falsely claimed he was born in Yemen to secure financial aid from the State Department, despite actually being a US citizen born in New Mexico. He later developed ties with the September 11, 2001, hijackers and rose to a leadership position in Al-Qaeda’s Yemen affiliate. His writings were also widely used in online jihadist propaganda, aimed at radicalizing Americans to support Al-Qaeda’s cause.

Aulaqi has been in the news before, as he was killed in 2011 in Yemen by a US drone strike ordered by then-President Barack Obama. His death marked the first time a US citizen was specifically targeted and killed by an American drone strike.

The revelation comes as the Trump administration has intensified efforts to downsize USAID. After taking office, President Donald Trump implemented a sweeping freeze on foreign aid to review government spending. Secretary of State Marco Rubio clarified that waivers remain for “life-saving humanitarian assistance,” including “core life-saving medicine, medical services, food, shelter, and subsistence assistance.”

Trump administration officials have pointed to multiple instances of excessive and misallocated funds from USAID as justification for their efforts to downsize the agency's workforce of over 10,000. In a press release, the White House gave examples including $1.5 million to “advance diversity equity and inclusion in Serbia’s workplaces and business communities,” $70,000 for a “DEI musical” in Ireland, and $47,000 for a “transgender opera.”

Despite the administration’s attempt to reduce USAID’s workforce, a federal judge temporarily halted these efforts, making it so the roughly 2,700 employees who were placed on leave could return to work.