Pete Marocco
American government official (born 1975)

Pete Marocco
Deputy Administrator of the United States Agency for International Development
In office
February 3, 2025 – March 19, 2025
PresidentDonald Trump
Preceded byPosition established
Succeeded byJeremy Lewin
Director of the Office of Foreign Assistance
In office
January 21, 2025 – April 13, 2025
PresidentDonald Trump
Preceded byTracy Carson
Succeeded byJeremy Lewin
Personal details
BornPeter William Marocco
(1975-08-22) August 22, 1975 (age 50)
Bell County, Texas, U.S.
PartyRepublican
Education

Peter William Marocco (born August 22, 1975) is an American government official who served as director of the Office of Foreign Assistance at the United States Department of State and as deputy administrator at the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) from January to April 2025. Marocco wrote the State Department cable ordering a freeze of all U.S. foreign aid (with exceptions for Israel, humanitarian aid, and other purposes) resulting in furloughs, layoffs and ending operations for almost all U.S.-funded aid projects, and significant confusion among providers funded with U.S. foreign aid.[1][2] Various Republican figures stated their intent to merge USAID with the State Department.[3]

First Trump administration

Marocco was deputy assistant secretary of state at the Bureau of Conflict and Stabilization Operations from January 7, 2018 to August 16, 2019. While in that position his bureau undertook a government-wide review of U.S. foreign assistance directed toward strategic stabilization efforts and developed a global scanning index intended to give early warning of conflicts and atrocities.[4] In July 2018, he travelled to the Balkans[5] where, as reported by ProPublica,[6] he secretly met with ethnonationalist Bosnian Serb separatist leaders including Milorad Dodik who was at the time under U.S Treasury Department sanctions for opposing peace efforts in the region.[7] This visit had not been approved by the U.S. ambassador. As reported in Foreign Policy magazine, Marocco frequently arranged such meetings on overseas trips without the knowledge of local ambassadors.[8]

In March 2019, Marocco was one of two State Department officials sent to speak at a meeting on international migration policy in Hungary to which neither Germany, France, or the UK sent representatives. Hungary's ruling party Fidesz had been suspended from its European People's Party coalition in the European Parliament just days beforehand.[9] While at the State Department, Marocco was subjected to frequent complaints from the department's inspector general office over workplace concerns including urging others to withhold grant funds from at least one contractor despite regulations to the contrary, as reported in Foreign Policy.[8]

He was also senior advisor for intelligence and security at the U.S. Department of Commerce on a special assignment, advising senior leadership on intelligence and security resources.[10]

Later in 2019, Marocco served as deputy assistant secretary of defense for African affairs, leading U.S. defense policy across the continent, working to counter transnational threats to the U.S., strengthening partner capacity, enhancing cooperation and working with U.S. Africa Command.[10]

After USAID created a Bureau for Conflict Prevention and Stabilization, Marocco was named its head in July 2020.[11] The new bureau's mission was to provide support for civic organizations and independent media in foreign nations, to combat disinformation and to strengthen free elections and the rule of law. While in this position, Marocco reportedly established a confrontational management within USAID, involving disagreements with senior Trump appointees.[12] He repeatedly tried to cancel contracts or freeze payments, accusing USAID employees who complained of "insubordination".[13] Marocco was the subject of a Dissent Channel memo to the USAID administrator, which notably criticized Marocco for micromanagement, vague oral directives, and delayed aid to Ukraine.[14]

In October 2020, Marocco took personal leave,[15] returning to his position in December of that year.[8]

January 6 Capitol attack allegations

In November 2024, D Magazine reported that an individual associated with the Sedition Hunters group claimed to have identified Marocco and his wife Merritt Corrigan from images of those involved in the January 6, 2021, United States Capitol attack.[16] Neither has been charged. Marocco has called the allegations "petty smear tactics and desperate personal attacks."[17]

Return to private life

On January 18, 2021, Marocco filed incorporation papers for Endstate Strategies, LLC[18] as a single-family office and advisory firm for operations management and strategic investment. He became its managing director. By July 2021, Marocco was corporate director of operations at CEC Facilities Group in Irving, Texas.[19]

Marocco was a member of the 2022 class of the Club for Growth Foundation.[20] On April 7 of that year, he was appointed to the Advisory Council on Emergency Medical Services (GETAC).[21]

During the 2023 Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) conference in Hungary, Marocco appeared on an episode of the Ben Ferguson talk show. A summary of the episode stated that during his government service, Marocco felt U.S. foreign aid was "undermining the family and indoctrinating children", supporting gay pride, abortion, terrorism and undocumented migrants to the U.S. while ostensibly funding health care, democracy or gender equity. He advocated close monitoring and control of U.S. aid and using social media to counter "indoctrinating and divisive material." Marocco promised that if Donald Trump returned to office he and other conservatives would take inspiration from Hungary's family-friendly policies to address the situation.[22][23]

Marocco became a leading figure in nonprofit organization Dallas HERO, founded in August 2023.[24] The group developed and supported three amendments to the Dallas city charter that would have established a citizen review of the city manager's performance; increased police staffing and compensation; and given residents the right to sue the city over disagreements about state and local statutory compliance, waiving the city's sovereign immunity. The latter two amendments successfully passed.[25]

Second Trump administration

On December 9, 2024, Politico reported that Marocco was working with the Trump presidential transition team on national security personnel matters.[26]

USAID / Office of Foreign Assistance

On January 24, 2025, it was reported that Marocco, newly installed as director of the State Department's Office of Foreign Assistance, had sent a cable ordering an immediate pause on new foreign aid spending, as well as a stop-work order for existing grants and contracts.[27]

On January 24, Marocco alleged that USAID conducted payments that violate Executive Order 14169. According to staff members, the allegation appeared to misunderstand USAID's payment systems, in which money may be transferred to other agencies before leaving the federal government days or weeks later (meaning that the payments had likely been approved before the Executive Order). Despite the lack of evidence, on January 27, Marocco, accompanied by officials from the U.S. DOGE Service Temporary Organization, successfully pressured Jason Gray to put on leave 57 senior USAID career officials. They were escorted from their offices by security personnel and their government email accounts were frozen. DOGE members said they would not allow them to come back, regardless of the evidence. On January 30, Marocco echoed DOGE's demand to lock every USAID employee worldwide out of the agency's systems, including phones and emails.[13][17]

On February 3, 2025, Secretary of State Marco Rubio informed the leadership of the congressional Foreign Affairs and Appropriations committees that he had designated Marocco to act as USAID deputy administrator and to begin a review and possible reorganization of its operations. According to Rubio, this review could include suspending or eliminating programs; closing posts, bureaus or offices; reducing agency workforce; and contracting out or privatizing agency activities.[28][29]

In early February, Marocco had his initial meeting with a foreign government representative, Hungary's Tristan Azbej, responsible for programs to assist Christians. Azbej stated Marocco had agreed to end programs supporting parties opposed to Orban's government and praised Hungary's programs helping Christians.[30][31][32]

On February 18, Marocco declared that his agency would not comply with a judge's order to resume funding for USAID and State Department foreign assistance.[33] Plaintiffs in the case then asked the judge to find the government in civil contempt.[34][35] On February 25, Marocco stated it would take a matter of weeks to restart U.S. aid disbursements due to "complicated" payment systems, though the plaintiffs argued these complications were due to the government's own actions in stopping payments in the first place and then circumventing court orders to restart them.[36]

In a separate court case, U.S. District Judge Carl J. Nichols said Marocco had created "a mess" for USAID employees stationed overseas with contradictory sworn statements regarding their eligibility for government benefits including emergency medical services,[37] though Nichols later declared he was satisfied with Marocco's assurances regarding the matter and lifted his stay preventing USAID from placing workers on leave and giving them 30 days to relocate from their foreign assignments.[38]

On April 13, 2025, a senior US officials told Reuters that Marocco was leaving the State Department. Without providing explanations, other sources said Marocco may have been pushed out.[39] Other US officials and administration supporters told Politico that Marocco's departure involved tensions between Rubio, his staff and supporters of the MAGA movement.[40] He was succeeded in his role as director of the Office of Foreign Assistance by Jeremy Lewin, serving in an acting capacity; Lewin had previously been named USAID’s chief operating officer.[41][42]

Inter-American Foundation

On February 28, 2025, the Trump administration notified the Inter-American Foundation (IAF) that it was replacing both its president and CEO and all of its board members with Marocco. By the evening of March 3, Marocco and staffers from the U.S. DOGE Service Temporary Organization (USDSTO) had reportedly placed most IAF employees on paid administrative leave, accessed IAF systems and records and cancelled all IAF contracts and grants. The American Federation of Government Employees, representing IAF workers, was considering legal options in response to the irregular actions.[43] On April 4, US District Court Judge Loren L. AliKhan issued a preliminary injunction reinstating Sara Aviel as head of IAF and voiding Marocco's actions regarding the foundation.[44][45]

US African Development Foundation

Also on February 28, the Trump administration attempted to appoint Marocco to run the US African Development Foundation (USADF).[46] On March 5, 2025, Marocco and five USDSTO staffers were turned away from the USADF offices by foundation security staff. Foundation president Ward Brehm, who was not present, wrote to a USDSTO staffer that he had instructed his staff not to allow such meetings without him and that he looked forward to working with Marocco should he be nominated to the USADF board and confirmed by the Senate.[47]

On the morning of March 6, Marocco and USDSTO staffers returned to the USADF offices accompanied by five individuals reportedly from the US Marshals Service, entered the facility and reportedly changed the locks. In a statement to The Washington Post, USADF declared it would "follow the law with the expectation that our staff will be treated with dignity and respect."[48][49] NBC News questioned whether the armed individuals who accompanied Marocco and the USDSTO staffers were in fact US Marshals. The response from the US Department of Justice was, "We are not making a statement at this time. We do request that you please verify with your sources that your reporting would be accurate."[50]

Later that day, Brehm filed suit against Trump, USDSTO, Marocco and the heads of the White House Presidential Personnel Office and the US General Services Administration seeking a temporary restraining order (TRO) barring them from entering the foundation offices or removing him as president and declaring attempts to do so beyond their legal authority.[46][51] US District Judge Richard J. Leon issued an administrative stay the same day ordering that Brehm not be removed from his position and Marocco or any other person not be appointed in his place pending a hearing on March 11.[52] While Leon denied the motion for a TRO stating that it did not meet the threshold for showing immediate and irreparable harm, he required USDSTO staffers to be available for testimony under oath as to the actions taken to maintain USADF's "minimum presence and function required by law." He also noted that the legal authorities the government cited in its response to the motion ignored Congressional amendments and U.S. Supreme Court precedent. Both sides were ordered to confer and state their positions on further action by March 12.[53] On June 10, 2025, Leon ruled that Brehm lacked standing to challenge Marocco's appointment as he had been legally removed from his position beforehand.[54]

Personal life

At age seventeen, Peter Marocco enlisted in the U.S. Marine Corps, becoming a platoon sergeant with the 3d Force Reconnaissance Company in Mobile, Alabama.[10]

He has a Bachelor of Arts in international affairs from Florida State University,[55] a Master of Studies in international human rights law from Kellogg College, Oxford in 2009,[56] a Master of Legal Studies in international and comparative law from the Dedman School of Law at Southern Methodist University. He also has a postgraduate certificate in international security from the Freeman Spogli Institute for International Studies at Stanford University. His Oxford dissertation was on the law of armed conflict and unmanned aerial targeting systems.[57]

Marocco is married to Merritt Corrigan. Corrigan worked for Hungary's embassy in the U.S. and left employment as White House liaison for USAID in August 2020 after media coverage of her previous statements criticizing LGBTQ rights, feminism, and liberal democracy.[58][31]

In 2015–2016, Marocco led humanitarian operations for the Nazarene Fund, a charity founded by Glenn Beck that works to extract Christians from areas in the Middle East where they may face persecution.[59] In August 2017, Marocco served as the Texas director of logistics for the statewide Hurricane Harvey response.[59]

References

  1. ^ Ro, Christine (January 27, 2025). "The US Halt in Foreign Aid 'Could Mean Life or Death for Millions'". Forbes. Retrieved February 1, 2025.
  2. ^ Roth, Andrew (February 1, 2025). "Trump ally Peter Marocco behind evisceration of USAid: 'He's a destroyer'". The Guardian. Retrieved February 2, 2025.
  3. ^ "Two top security officials at USAID placed on leave, sources say". CBS. February 3, 2025. Retrieved February 3, 2025.
  4. ^ "Pete Marocco". U.S. Department of State. Retrieved February 1, 2025.
  5. ^ Iljazi, Bashkim (July 2018). "The senior representative of DASH, Pete Morocco, will stay in Skopje today". Telegrafi. Retrieved February 17, 2025.
  6. ^ Murphy, Brett; Barry-Jester, Anna Maria (February 15, 2025). "Trump Official Destroying USAID Secretly Met With Christian Nationalists Abroad in Defiance of U.S. Policy". ProPublica. Retrieved February 16, 2025.
  7. ^ Office of Foreign Assets Control. "Changes to the Specially Designated Nationals and Blocked Persons List Since January 1, 2017" (PDF). www.treasury.gov. Retrieved February 17, 2025.
  8. ^ a b c Detch, Jack; Lynch, Colum (December 1, 2020). "Controversial Trump USAID Appointee Returns from Absence". Foreign Policy. Retrieved February 17, 2025.
  9. ^ "US sending diplomats to speak at migration summit — in hardline Hungary". CNN News. KBZK-TV Bozeman, MT. March 21, 2019. Retrieved February 17, 2025.
  10. ^ a b c "Peter Marocco". U.S. Department of Defense. Retrieved February 2, 2025.
  11. ^ Toosi, Nahal; Lippman, Daniel (July 8, 2020). "Arrival of new conflict chief at USAID ratchets up internal tensions". Politico. Retrieved February 1, 2025.
  12. ^ "Pete Marocco tried to upend USAID in 2020 -- and failed. In 2025, he dismantled it". NPR Illinois. March 25, 2025. Retrieved June 26, 2025.
  13. ^ a b Flavelle, Christopher; Nehamas, Nicholas; Tate, Julie (June 22, 2025). "Missteps, Confusion and 'Viral Waste': The 14 Days That Doomed U.S.A.I.D." The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved June 26, 2025.
  14. ^ Lippman, Daniel; Toosi, Nahal (September 22, 2020). "USAID dissent memo details frustrations with Trump appointee". Politico. Retrieved February 1, 2025.
  15. ^ Toosi, Nahal (October 1, 2020). "Contentious USAID appointee to take leave after 3 months on job". Politico. Retrieved February 1, 2025.
  16. ^ Goodman, Matt (November 4, 2024). "Dallas HERO Exec Pete Marocco Caught on Cam Inside January 6 Capitol Insurrection". D Magazine. Retrieved February 1, 2025.
  17. ^ a b Roth, Andrew (February 1, 2025). "Trump ally Peter Marocco behind evisceration of USAid: 'He's a destroyer'". The Guardian. Retrieved February 1, 2025.
  18. ^ "Endstate Strategies LLC". Bizapedia. Retrieved February 1, 2025.
  19. ^ "Texas & Louisiana People: August 2021". Archived from the original on January 18, 2022. Retrieved February 3, 2025.
  20. ^ "Peter Marocco". Club for Growth Foundation. Retrieved February 1, 2025.
  21. ^ "Governor Abbott Appoints Seven To Advisory Council On Emergency Medical Services". gov.texas.gov. April 7, 2022. Retrieved June 26, 2025.
  22. ^ "Ben Ferguson and Peter Marocco". Conservative Political Action Conference. Substack. Retrieved February 1, 2025.
  23. ^ GPAHE (February 24, 2025). "USAID Head Peter Marocco Promoting Christian Nationalist Agenda Favored by Hungary". Global Project Against Hate and Extremism. Retrieved June 2, 2025.
  24. ^ "Dallas HERO". Bizapedia. Retrieved February 1, 2025.
  25. ^ Hicks, Tyler (November 6, 2024). "What Does Dallas Do with the HERO Props Now?". Dallas Observer. Retrieved February 1, 2025.
  26. ^ Lippman, Daniel (December 9, 2024). "Former Trump official reportedly in the Capitol on Jan. 6 now working with the transition". Politico. Retrieved February 1, 2025.
  27. ^ Igoe, Michael (January 24, 2025). "Exclusive: State Department issues stop-work order on US aid". Devex. Retrieved February 1, 2025.
  28. ^ Cook, Sara [@saraecook] (February 3, 2025). "NEWS: Sec Rubio has written a letter to the leadership of the House & Senate Foreign Affairs and Appropriations Committees informing them of State's intent to start consultations to "reorganize and absorb certain bureaus, offices, and missions of USAID." Obtained by @cbsnews" (Tweet). Retrieved February 3, 2025 – via Twitter.
  29. ^ "Secretary Marco Rubio Appointed as Acting Administrator for the United States Agency for International Development (USAID)". US Department of State. March 3, 2025. Retrieved February 3, 2025. Secretary Rubio has also now notified Congress that a review of USAID's foreign assistance activities is underway with an eye towards potential reorganization.
  30. ^ "Its Official: Trump Admin Halts US Programs Interfering in Hungarian Internal Affairs". Magyar Nezmet. February 7, 2025. Retrieved February 24, 2025.
  31. ^ a b Mazzetti, Mark; Demirjian, Karoun (February 18, 2025). "In Trump's War on Foreign Aid, a Loyal Soldier Returns to Battle". New York Times. Retrieved February 24, 2025.
  32. ^ GPAHE (February 24, 2025). "USAID Head Peter Marocco Promoting Christian Nationalist Agenda Favored by Hungary". Global Project Against Hate and Extremism. Retrieved June 2, 2025.
  33. ^ Bethany Allen (February 19, 2025). "NEW: The Trump administration has just told a federal judge in a court filing that it will not comply with the court's order to resume fundi…" (Post). Bluesky. Retrieved February 19, 2025.
  34. ^ Lee, Ella (February 19, 2025). "USAID contractors ask judge to hold Trump admin in civil contempt for violating order to lift spending freeze". The Hill. Retrieved February 20, 2025.
  35. ^ Langfitt, Frank (February 19, 2025). "In potential showdown, aid groups demand court find USAID, State officials in contempt". NPR. Retrieved February 20, 2025.
  36. ^ Gerstein, Josh; Cheney, Kyle (February 26, 2025). "Chief justice allows Trump administration to keep foreign aid frozen for now". Politico. Retrieved February 28, 2025.
  37. ^ Cheney, Kyle (February 19, 2025). "Judge says Trump administration made a 'mess' of plans for overseas USAID workers". Politico. Retrieved February 20, 2025.
  38. ^ Knickmeyer, Ellen; Whitehurst, Lindsay (February 21, 2025). "Judge clears way for Trump administration to pull thousands of USAID staffers off the job". Associated Press. Retrieved February 28, 2025.
  39. ^ Pamuk, Humeyra (April 13, 2025). "Trump-appointed official who oversaw dismantling of USAID leaves State Department". Reuters. Retrieved April 14, 2025.
  40. ^ Burns, Dasha; Toosi, Nahal (April 18, 2025). "Rubio's firing of Marocco ignites a MAGA world meltdown". Politico. Retrieved April 18, 2025.
  41. ^ Pamuk, Humeyra (April 15, 2025). "DOGE staffer appointed as acting head of US State Dept foreign assistance office". Reuters. Retrieved June 29, 2025.
  42. ^ Miolene, Elissa (April 16, 2025). "DOGE staffer takes over at the State Department's office of foreign aid". Devex. Retrieved June 29, 2025.
  43. ^ Gambino, Lauren; Sainato, Michael (March 4, 2025). "White House installs Trump loyalist to lead independent agency in push to reduce foreign aid". The Guardian. Retrieved March 5, 2025.
  44. ^ Schonfeld, Zach (April 4, 2025). "Judge blocks Trump's takeover of Inter-American Foundation". The Hill. Retrieved June 25, 2025.
  45. ^ AliKhan, Loren L. "MEMORANDUM OPINION". www.documentcloud.com. Document Cloud. Retrieved June 25, 2025.
  46. ^ a b "Complaint for declaratory and injunctive relief" (PDF). democracyforward.org. Democracy Forward. Retrieved March 6, 2025.
  47. ^ Timotija, Filip (March 5, 2025). "DOGE team shut out of US African development agency". The Hill. Retrieved March 6, 2025.
  48. ^ Tucker, Brianna (March 6, 2025). "DOGE staff bring U.S. Marshals to small federal agency that denied them access". The Washington Post. Retrieved March 8, 2025.
  49. ^ Demirjian, Karoun. "Marshals Escort DOGE Team Into African Aid Agency". The New York Times. No. 6 March 2025. Retrieved March 8, 2025.
  50. ^ Who is DOGE's muscle as they force their way through federal offices?. MSNBC. March 7, 2025. Retrieved March 8, 2025 – via YouTube.
  51. ^ Timotija, Filip (March 6, 2025). "US African Development Foundation head sues DOGE over takeover attempt". The Hill. Retrieved March 6, 2025.
  52. ^ "BREHM v. MAROCCO (1:25-cv-00660) District Court, District of Columbia". Court Listener. Retrieved March 8, 2025.
  53. ^ "Memorandum Order (March 11, 2025)". Court Listener. Retrieved March 11, 2025.
  54. ^ Leon, Richard J. "MEMORANDUM OPINION". www.courtlistener.com. Court Listener. Retrieved June 25, 2025.
  55. ^ "Governor Abbott Appoints Seven To Advisory Council On Emergency Medical Services". Office of the Texas Governor. Retrieved February 1, 2025.
  56. ^ https://issuu.com/kelloggoxford/docs/kelloggcollegenews-michaelmas2015-e_6fb4dd69498fd7
  57. ^ "Pete Marocco - Foreign Policy Research Institute". Archived from the original on April 4, 2022. Retrieved February 16, 2025.
  58. ^ Yeganeh Torbati (June 5, 2020). "New Trump Appointee to Foreign Aid Agency Has Denounced Liberal Democracy and "Our Homo-Empire"". ProPublica. Retrieved February 4, 2025.
  59. ^ a b "Peter Marocco". Club of Growth. n.d. Retrieved February 3, 2025.
Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Pete_Marocco&oldid=1327617759"