Washington, D.C. — A senior official from Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) has been appointed to a key leadership role at the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), according to an internal email obtained by the Associated Press.
Pete Marocco, previously serving as deputy head of USAID, announced in the email that he will now lead foreign assistance at the State Department. He also stated that Secretary of State Marco Rubio has appointed Jeremy Lewin, a DOGE official, as USAID’s deputy administrator for policy and programs, as well as its chief operating officer. Additionally, Kenneth Jackson was designated as administrator for management and resources, serving as the agency’s chief financial officer.
The appointment was announced the same day a federal judge ruled that Musk and DOGE lacked constitutional authority to shut down USAID programs. The court ruling, issued by U.S. District Judge Theodore Chuang, blocks further cuts to the agency, following a lawsuit by USAID employees and contractors who argued that DOGE was overstepping its authority.