Richard Grenell, the US presidential envoy for special missions, said that “billions of dollars have been given to left-wing NGOs” to implement policies in other countries.
Grenell reposted a local media post on the social network X about how much money the US Agency for International Development (USAID) has allegedly spent in the Western Balkans, calling it “reckless spending”.
“Hardworking Americans pay taxes – politicians in Washington DC are spending that money recklessly. Billions of dollars given to left-wing NGOs to implement radical policies in other countries,” he wrote, sharing a post mentioning alleged USAID spending in the Western Balkans.
The media post from X, shared by Grenell, speculates about almost two billion dollars distributed by USAID in the Western Balkans from 2020 to 2024, which coincides with most of the mandate of former US President Joe Biden.
Over a four-year period, more than $500 million was reportedly given to Kosovo, around $400 million to Bosnia and Herzegovina, almost $300 million to North Macedonia, more than $200 million to Serbia, more than $180 million to Albania, and more than $70 million to Montenegro.
The administration of US President Donald Trump intends to merge USAID with the State Department in order to reduce the administration and align spending with Trump’s priorities.
After his inauguration on January 20, Trump signed an executive order suspending US foreign development assistance for 90 days. He said that “no further US foreign assistance will be disbursed in a manner that is not fully consistent with his foreign policy.”, AA writes.
