DOGE official hurriedly approved $30 million grant to GHF despite staff objections, memorandum shows

WASHINGTON — A top US State Department official waived nine mandatory counterterrorism and anti-fraud safeguards to rush a $30 million award last month to a Gaza aid group backed by the Trump administration and Israel, according to an internal memorandum seen by Reuters.

Jeremy Lewin, a former Department of Government Efficiency associate, signed off on the award despite an assessment in the memorandum that the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation’s funding plan failed to meet required “minimum technical or budgetary standards.”

The June 24 action memorandum to Lewin was sent by Kenneth Jackson, also a former DOGE operative who serves as an acting deputy US Agency for International Development administrator. The pair has overseen the agency’s dismantling and the merger of its functions into the State Department.

Lewin also overrode 58 objections that USAID staff experts wanted GHF to resolve in its application before the funds were approved, according to two sources familiar with the matter.

Lewin, who runs the State Department’s foreign aid program, cleared the funds only five days after GHF filed its proposal on June 19, according to the June 24 “action memorandum” bearing his signature, seen by Reuters.

“Strong Admin support for this one,” Lewin wrote to USAID leaders in a June 25 email — also seen by Reuters — that urged disbursement of the funds by the agency “ASAP.”

The action memorandum was first reported by CNN.

Lewin and Jackson did not respond to requests for comment.

The documents underline the priority the Trump administration has given GHF despite the group’s lack of experience and the killing of hundreds of Palestinians near its Gaza aid distribution hubs.

GHF, which closely coordinates with the Israeli military, has acknowledged reports of violence but says they occurred beyond its operational area.

Lewin noted in the email that he had discussed the funds with aides to Steve Witkoff, President Donald Trump’s negotiator on Gaza, and Secretary of State Marco Rubio’s office.

He acknowledged that authorizing the funds would be controversial, writing: “I’m taking the bullet on this one.”

The White House did not respond to requests for comment. Witkoff and Rubio did not reply to a question about whether they were aware of and supported the decision to waive the safeguards.

The State Department says in a statement that the $30 million was approved under a legal provision allowing USAID to expedite awards in response to “emergency situations” to “meet humanitarian needs as expeditiously as possible.”

“The GHF award remains subject to rigorous oversight, including of GHF’s operations and finances,” the statement said. “As part of the award, GHF was subject to new control and reporting requirements.”

In response to a request for comment, a GHF spokesperson says: “Our model is specifically designed to prevent waste, fraud, and abuse. Every dollar we receive is safeguarded to ensure all resources — which will eventually include American taxpayer funds — reach the people of Gaza.”

The spokesperson adds that such requests for clarification from the US government about fund applications were routine.

Speaking about the nine conditions that were waived, the spokesperson says: “We are addressing each question as per regulations and normal procedure and will continue to do so as required.”