Former USAID officer Nicholas Enrich details the agency's destruction in his new book 'Into the Wood Chipper'
Washington Today
In his new book 'Into the Wood Chipper,' former USAID officer Nicholas Enrich provides a firsthand account of the Trump administration's efforts to dismantle the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) in 2025. Enrich, who was thrust into a leadership role at the agency during this tumultuous period, describes the chaos, inefficiency, and ideological zeal that led to USAID's effective shutdown, hampering critical global health initiatives and emergency response efforts around the world.
USAID has long been a key part of America's diplomatic and humanitarian efforts globally, managing programs that address issues like HIV/AIDS, food insecurity, and disaster relief. Enrich's account sheds light on how the Trump administration's hostility toward career civil servants and distrust of multilateral institutions led to the dismantling of this important agency, with potentially devastating consequences for vulnerable populations around the world.
After Trump signed an executive order halting all of USAID's programming on Inauguration Day 2025, the agency rapidly descended into disarray. Perishable food and medical supplies were left undelivered, clinical trials were interrupted, and contractors worldwide were unable to meet payroll. Meanwhile, new Trump-appointed leadership prohibited external communications,...
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