A recent investigation by the Defense Oversight and Government Ethics (DOGE) Committee has uncovered alarming evidence suggesting that U.S. government funds, primarily distributed through the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), have inadvertently supported terrorist organizations, including Boko Haram, Al-Qaeda, the Taliban, and ISIS. The findings were brought to light during a congressional hearing, where Representative Scott Perry disclosed that approximately $697 million annually—along with unmonitored cash shipments—has been funneled into regions where extremist groups operate.

Despite the Taliban’s control since 2021, nearly $700 million in aid was allocated to Afghanistan last year, with $534.7 million channeled through USAID. The investigation also revealed that between $40–$80 million in physical cash is flown into Afghanistan every 7–10 days, with minimal oversight on its final distribution. CIA whistleblowers claim that families of Taliban fighters killed in attacks against U.S. forces receive financial compensation, while no comparable support exists for American military casualties. Additionally, USAID-funded initiatives such as the Women’s Scholarship Endowment, which receives $60 million annually, and Young Women Lead, which gets $5 million annually, have allegedly been redirected to support terrorist training camps and religious schools affiliated with ISIS-K and Boko Haram.

The DOGE investigation traced the origins of U.S. financial entanglement with extremist groups back to the late 1970s, citing declassified intelligence reports. The findings indicate that during the Cold War, the CIA and Mossad provided military aid to Afghan fighters resisting the Soviet invasion, many of whom later formed Al-Qaeda. Further reports highlight that after 9/11, U.S.-supplied arms intended for Syrian rebels were later integrated into ISIS stockpiles. Intelligence documents also suggest that in the 1980s, Israel covertly supported Hamas as a counterweight to the Palestinian Liberation Organization (PLO), a move that later backfired.

The revelations have sparked bipartisan demands for an immediate audit of USAID and a suspension of funding to conflict zones. Critics warn that the alleged mismanagement of aid poses serious national security risks, as funding groups that target American forces undermines U.S. security interests. The controversy has also had global diplomatic implications, with concerns that such misallocation of aid has damaged U.S. credibility abroad and strengthened geopolitical rivals like China.

President Donald Trump has vowed to investigate what he described as “thousands of corrupt NGOs” and impose strict tariffs on nations exploiting U.S. aid programs. Meanwhile, the DOGE committee has pledged to expand its probe into Pentagon expenditures and pandemic-era relief funds. As Congress deliberates on the next course of action, pressure is mounting for a full-scale overhaul of U.S. foreign aid distribution to prevent further misuse of taxpayer dollars.