Introduction
On March 18, 2025, Jeremy Lewin, a 28-year-old Harvard Law School graduate and former investment banker, was appointed as the Deputy Administrator of Policy and Programming and Chief Operating Officer of the US Agency for International Development (USAID). Despite his lack of experience in government, diplomacy, or foreign assistance, Lewin began wielding the powers of the agency's top official within just a few weeks. Internal USAID emails reveal that during the three-week period of March 18 to April 4, Lewin canceled lifesaving aid programs and personally signed off on the termination of thousands of USAID employees. This unauthorized appointment has raised serious concerns among career staff within the agency.
Lewin's Appointment and Lack of Documentation
For at least two months, USAID senior staff had no knowledge of how Lewin, who appeared at the agency one day as a policymaker on an obscure detail from the General Services Administration, could have suddenly begun wielding the powers of the agency's top official. Internal emails reviewed by WIRED reveal that during the March 18 to April 4 period, Lewin did not sign the paperwork typically required by law to begin work at the agency, despite repeated requests. In fact, his appointment was so mysterious that USAID security was unable to issue him an ID card because they had no records of his employment. This unauthorized appointment has led to a series of legal challenges and investigations.
Lewin's Legal Authority and Background
Lewin, currently the Director of Policy Planning at the State Department, claims that prior to Rubio delegating powers to him, he was