USAID provided significant funding that benefited the Hamas terrorist organization during the war that began with the October 7 massacres well as other Islamist terrorist organizations, it was claimed during a Congressional hearing yesterday (Wednesday). The hearing, titled 'America Last: How Foreign Aid Undermined U.S. Interests Around the World,' was held by the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform's Subcommittee on Delivering on Government Efficiency, and dealt with the recent revelations of waste and corruption at the USAID organization that were made public by DOGE's investigations. Middle East Forum Executive Director Gregg Roman addressed the committee members about USAID's funding for terrorist organizations in the Middle East and beyond. When asked by Rep. Tim Burchett (R-Tenn.) what terrorist organizations USAID has funded in addition to the Taliban, Roman responded, "We have assisted Al-Shabab in Somalia, there's been instances of the Hamzi network in Sudan, Hamas, Islamic Jihad, Hezbollah, Kata'ib Hezbollah, Hay'at Tahrir al-Sham in Syria. Dozens of terror organizations have received indirect assistance from US foreign aid." Related articles: US Supreme Court rejects Trump foreign aid freeze USAID to lay off 2,000 employees Elon Musk should target USAID The dismantling of a malevolent empire "Let's use Gaza as our case study," he stated. "2.1 billion dollars in American taxpayers' money to Gaza since October 7th when Hamas invaded southern Israel. USAID money was going in terms of an emergency use authorization to try to go to parties that USAID formerly had a relationship with in the Gaza Strip. That had to have been vetted by OFAK, they should have been vetted against the special designated terror list from the State Department and from other Treasury organizations. Waivers were granted because they said that there was an emergency use to have that money come into Gaza, thereby jettisoning the usual, typical screening procedures. As a result, 90 percent of aid that was going from the United States by way of its agents in Gaza ended up in Hamas-controlled areas." Roman called that "ridiculous," adding, "Essentially, what the US assistance to Gaza did was underwrite the ability for Hamas to survive until the ceasefire was just passed a few weeks ago. There was no strategic thought for it and there was no screening." He agreed with Rep. Burhcett's observation that through this aid to Gaza, US taxpayer dollars were used to "arm terrorists to kill civilians." Former US Ambassador to Israel David Friedman said in response to Roman's testimony, "This is both maddening and heartbreaking. According to this sworn testimony, over $2 billion in US taxpayer funding was sent by USAID to Hamas since October 7, 2023. The USAID Director (who was the US Ambassador to the UN under Obama who caused the Security Council to pass a viciously anti-Israel resolution in the waning days of the Obama Administration), according to this witness, caused the transfer of funds to aid Hamas in fighting Israel." Rep. Burchett has proposed the No Tax Dollars for Terrorists Act, legislation to prevent American foreign aid from going to terrorists.
