Rep. McBride Presses Trump Administration on State Department Cuts to Anti-Trafficking, Slush Fund Spending
WASHINGTON, DC — During today’s House Foreign Affairs Committee hearing on the Trump Administration’s proposed FY26 State Department budget, Congresswoman Sarah McBride (D-DE) raised sharp concerns about staffing cuts to the State Department’s anti-trafficking office, the dismantling of U ID, and a proposed $2.9 billion “America First Opportunity Fund” with limited congressional oversight.
Referencing the recent layoffs of over 1,300 State Department employees, Rep. McBride asked Deputy Secretary of State for Management and Resources Michael Rigas whether he was aware that “these layoffs reduce the staff at the Office to Monitor and Combat Trafficking in Persons by 71%.” When Rigas confirmed he was aware, McBride followed:
“Have we seen a 71% reduction in human trafficking globally?”
Challenging the justification for such deep staffing reductions, she stated:
“I do think it boggles the mind and defies belief that 71% of this department was so dispensable amidst a global crisis of human trafficking.”
“I’m not surprised that the MAGA base is now questioning this administration’s commitment to combating human trafficking globally and domestically.”
Rep. McBride also criticized the administration’s decision to dismantle USAID and delay enforcement of anti-corruption laws:
“This administration has destroyed the world’s premier international development agency because the DOGE bros didn’t understand how to read a spreadsheet.”
“This administration is also pausing enforcement of the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act while foreign interests spend millions at the president’s resorts.”
When discussing the proposed “America First Opportunity Fund,” McBride asked:
“Can you tell us what controls, if any, will be put in place to ensure that this fund cannot be used for personal or political benefits of anyone in this administration?”
And in response to Rigas’s suggestion that public oversight included the President’s media appearances, McBride concluded:
“You’re right, he does talk a lot on TV right now. I did see him recently try to defend not releasing the Epstein files.”
The full exchange can be viewed here.
Rep. McBride has consistently opposed the Trump administration’s foreign aid rollbacks and personnel purges. She is a cosponsor of the Defending American Diplomacy Act and the Protect U.S. National Security Act, both of which seek to block attempts to eliminate USAID and protect the independence of U.S. foreign assistance. She has also signed onto multiple letters calling for hearings, transparency, and continued support for USAID programs that serve women, girls, and vulnerable communities across the globe.
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