Tim Meisburger, the head of USAID’s Bureau of Humanitarian Assistance, has left the agency, telling staff last week he would be transitioning to “a new position” with the Peace Corps — another American development institution, which has lately come under pressure from the current administration.
Meisburger is a controversial figure who, according to reports by The Washington Post, told staff that the Capitol riots were the work of “a few violent people” while several million others protested peacefully. He has led the bureau since U.S. President Donald Trump returned to office in January, and also held a role at the U.S. Agency for International Development during the previous Trump administration.
“I know that my time here has been a time of turmoil, and I didn’t get the chance to get to know many of you, but I want to close out my short period with you by stating how much I admire you,” he wrote in an internal email, which was obtained by Devex through several staff members. “Your quiet competence and professionalism in the midst of a hurricane not of your own making is astonishing, but perhaps should not be, given your calling.
About the author
Elissa Miolene
Elissa Miolene reports on USAID and the U.S. government at Devex. She previously covered education at The San Jose Mercury News, and has written for outlets like The Wall Street Journal, San Francisco Chronicle, Washingtonian magazine, among others. Before shifting to journalism, Elissa led communications for humanitarian agencies in the United States, East Africa, and South Asia.
