Trump administration wants USAID to adopt blockchain technology, new government memo reveals: report

The Trump administration plans to restructure USAID by reversing it and integrating blockchain technology into its supply process, reveals a disclosed memo.

According to a recent report by Wired, a government memo circulating among the officials of the State Department reveals the Asset Administration plans for the American Agency for International Development.

Originally bought by the politico media, the 13 pages document The extract describes structural changes intended for the humanitarian agency under the Trump administration. In addition to changing your name to WE International humanitarian assistance or IHA, USAID would begin to incorporate blockchain technology in its supply process.

“All distributions would also be secure and traced via blockchain technology to radically increase security, transparency and traceability,” said note.

According to the memo, the use of blockchain technology in the agency aims to strengthen innovation and efficiency, while allowing a “more flexible and reactive programming focused on tangible impact rather than simply finishing activities and inputs”.

In early February, USAID staff were put on administrative leave before the government ministry or DOGE (DOGE) As much the computer workforce from 10,000 to 300 staff members. In addition, the State Department has ordered that it ceases to send part of the payments to partner organizations around the world

However, we still do not know how blockchain technology will play a role in the agency’s daily operations. There are some possibilities, one of them includes the use of a blockchain ledger To record the distribution of the aid, making it more transparent and traceable.

Another possible result is that the agency is starting to distribute monetary aid through cryptocurrencies like stable to its partners instead of cash transfers. Just a day before, Trump book A virtual address at the top of digital assets where he urged the US Congress to adopt Stablecoin regulations and establish simple rules for stablescoins and market structures.

In the past, there has been a case where blockchain technology was used by humanitarian organizations. In 2022, the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees or the UNHCR led a small pilot project which distributed funds through Stablecoins to move the Ukrainians due to the Russian-Ukraine war.

Likewise in 2018, Kenya Red Cross Society launched a pilot project Called “Blockchain Technology in Humanitarian Programming”, in which blockchain was used to record transactions and help people receive funds without the need to open a bank account.

The International Committee of the Red Cross, which works with the Kenya team, also contributed to develop The humanitarian token solution.