WASHINGTON: Pete Marocco, a senior Trump administration figure who led the controversial dismantling of the US Agency for International Development (USAID), has left the State Department less than three months after taking on a key foreign aid portfolio, US officials confirmed on Monday. Marocco, who was serving as the acting head of the foreign-assistance division at the State Department, oversaw the shutdown of USAID and the termination of nearly 83% of US foreign aid programmes during his brief but eventful tenure. His tenure was part of a broader push to consolidate control of foreign aid under Secretary of State Marco Rubio and the newly formed Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), headed by billionaire entrepreneur Elon Musk. A senior administration official described Marocco’s role as a “historic task” aimed at eliminating inefficiencies and preventing misuse of taxpayer funds. However, internal sources indicate that Marocco’s departure was not voluntary. He reportedly clashed with Rubio and other senior officials over the pace and scope of the cuts. According to sources familiar with the matter, Marocco was informed of his dismissal following a closed-door meeting at the White House last week. He has not issued any public statement. Senator Brian Schatz, ranking Democrat on the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Foreign Operations, condemned Marocco’s handling of the foreign aid overhaul, calling it “chaotic” and warning that his influence could linger in the department’s future policy direction. The State Department is now preparing to submit a reorganization blueprint to the Office of Management and Budget, outlining how the remaining aid functions—previously managed by USAID—will be redistributed under new leadership. The few surviving aid programmes are currently overseen by a DOGE appointee. While Secretary Rubio has defended the move as a strategic realignment of foreign assistance “to serve American interests,” the decision continues to draw sharp criticism both domestically and abroad. It remains uncertain whether Marocco will take up another role within the federal government.