[House Foreign Affairs Chair Brian Mast stated on CBS’ “Face the Nation” that he will ensure the “purging of people throughout the State Department, other agencies, where we’re freezing aid, these are all very important and necessary steps to make sure that we secure America, and we’re going to support that.”
Mast cited examples of the State Department prioritizing diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) over diplomacy, claiming that he could provide “hundreds of examples” of this prioritization. He did not provide any specific evidence to support his claims.
Regarding the potential dismantling or shrinking of the USAID agency, Mast stated that he is working with Secretary Rubio to ensure the “appropriate command and control” of these agencies. If that path is taken, Mast would be “absolutely for” removing USAID as a separate department and having it fall under parts of the State Department.
Mast also claimed that the agencies will “literally not tell us what they are writing grants for, literally, or they will lie about it.” He believes that freezing funding for USAID is necessary to force the agencies to explain where they are sending dollars and why, saying that this will help to ensure that aid is being used effectively.
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