Covert Action and Foreign Aid

Foreign aid has increasingly been used as a means for covert action by the U.S. intelligence community, particularly since the Clinton administration. During this period, mechanisms like USAID and the National Endowment for Democracy became conduits for funding efforts that promote regime change or influence, exemplified by the onset of color revolutions such as the Arab Spring and the situation in Ukraine. With significant budget increases for USAID under subsequent administrations, it became apparent that these organizations were at times operating in tandem with CIA objectives, raising ethical and operational concerns. Analysts and former operatives acknowledge the blurred lines between foreign aid and covert operations, indicating a systemic challenge within the intelligence structure itself.