According to a former administration official, Nicholas Enrich described actions by Trump administration officials who dismantled the USAID in a new book. Enrich wrote that some officials were unfamiliar with the agency’s mission and believed it primarily funded abortion-related services.
Enrich wrote that some officials required simplified presentations from health experts to understand the agency’s work. Enrich, who served as USAID’s acting assistant administrator for global health, described the agency’s closure in his book.
The book “Into the Wood Chipper: A Whistleblower’s Account of How the Trump Administration Shredded USAID” sheds light on a February 2025 meeting during which officials discussed plans affecting the agency.
Gutting USAID is the endpoint of a long ideological crusade rooted in a fundamental misunderstanding of American power. It’s not just shortsighted. It’s dangerous.
We must find new ways to support America’s foreign aid infrastructure before it’s too late.
More on… pic.twitter.com/rfGZhfTPsB
— Joel Rubin (@JoelMartinRubin) July 1, 2025
Enrich explained to White House liaison Adam Korzeniewski the agency’s work treating malaria, HIV, tuberculosis, and other diseases. He also explained how disruption of drug-resistant TB trials may lead to new strains that could be “untreatable.”
He explained how doing so could lead to an airborne infectious disease, which may end up becoming a national security risk. Korzeniewski thought the officials were “not healthy people,” hence needed a simple explanation to understand the issue. He tasked Enrich with creating “Barney-style” slides using the term “Super TB” as an attention hook.
He was also asked to make a map to show outbreaks in a “zombie apocalypse” style to be more sensational. Korzeniewski said, “If you can make one of those maps like they have in Outbreak, where it shows the red growing over time as the disease spreads? You know, like the zombie apocalypse? That would be great, very effective.”
Joel Borkert, who was the USAID chief of staff, said: “As a Republican, when I think of what USAID does in global health, I assume it was just, you know, abortions.” Meanwhile, Ken Jackson stated, “Wow, there really is so much that USAID does that we never knew.” The meeting ended with one official saying, “They’re asking us to dig our own grave.”
He literally had access to this before dismantling USAID. https://t.co/EYdJnTG7Qx
— Marie Blanchard🇺🇲🦅 (@MMarieblanchard) April 13, 2026
Enrich wrote that he was placed on administrative leave and alleged that the Department of Government Efficiency, or DOGE, took actions affecting USAID. The end of USAID also meant the end of lifesaving foreign aid and several canceled research projects.
According to a Reuters report, the White House also directed $15 million in funds from USAID to provide security to Russell Vought, the architect of Project 2025. Vought, Donald Trump‘s budget chief, who also oversees federal budget operations affecting thousands of federal positions.
The Trump administration dismantled USAID last year, with more than 80% programs canceled by March 2025. The 64-year-old agency was closed by September, and the remaining funds were allocated towards Vought’s protection through the end of 2026.
