The Trump Effect on Guatemala: A Wake-Up Call on U.S. Foreign Spending: By: Bert

Since January 20, the American public has witnessed relentless outcry from legacy media and Democratic leaders—a clear indication they have learned little from the last election. Their outrage, however, is not about policy or principle; it is about power. Rather than engaging in a meaningful debate, they waste their remaining credibility opposing necessary reforms led by President Trump and Elon Musk, the newly appointed head of the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE).

Despite media hysteria, DOGE has achieved in three weeks what bureaucrats have failed to do for decades—identifying billions of dollars in wasteful spending. President Trump and Musk, both of whom refuse a government salary, have taken swift action to halt fraud and abuse of taxpayer money. Yet, the loudest critics are those with the most to lose: beneficiaries of a broken system that funneled billions into politically motivated programs.

A prime example of such misuse is USAID and the Department of State’s funding practices abroad, particularly in Guatemala. Over the past decade, these agencies have poured billions into reducing illegal immigration and strengthening the rule of law—goals that remain unfulfilled by their own admission. So where did the money go? Into the hands of “implementing partners” like Acción Ciudadana and the Organized Crime and Corruption Reporting Project (OCCRP). While these organizations receive U.S. funding under the guise of promoting transparency, their focus has been narrowly political: targeting moderate and conservative entities while ignoring corruption on the left.

The OCCRP, for instance, has produced zero investigations into leftist corruption in Guatemala, despite numerous cases involving fugitives from justice. Is this selective blindness, or is it a symptom of USAID’s politicized agenda? Either way, it raises an urgent question: How many hospitals, schools, and infrastructure projects could those billions have funded if the focus had been on development instead of ideology?

DOGE’s discoveries within U.S. agencies further expose this misuse. Take, for example, a Department of Agriculture contract for “Central American gender assessment consultant services.” What relevance does this have to American agriculture? The answer: none. This contract was one among thousands suspended or canceled, saving taxpayers billions.

The Trump administration’s reforms shine a harsh light on a long-standing problem: billions spent with little accountability. As taxpayers, we deserve more than rhetoric—we deserve results. U.S. foreign aid should empower development, not advance political agendas. Guatemala, and countless other nations, deserve real solutions, not ideological experiments funded on the backs of American workers.

The question is no longer why reform is necessary. It is why it took so long to begin.