Marocco's dismissal by Rubio sparks meltdown in MAGA world
When Marco Rubio dismissed the individual responsible for dismantling USAID, he created adversaries within the MAGA movement.
TroibNews 
Peter Marocco, who held a position in the Trump administration focused on dismantling USAID, left a White House meeting last week to go back to his office at the State Department. Upon arrival, however, he was unable to enter the building, as security informed him that he was no longer an employee there, according to a source familiar with the situation.
News of Marocco's firing quickly spread throughout the Republican Party and the MAGA ecosystem, surprising loyalists of President Donald Trump who regarded Marocco as part of an elite group of staunch administration supporters. Prominent voices on the right criticized Secretary of State Marco Rubio, alleging that he was undermining the disruptive agenda they championed.
Though Marocco's abrupt termination has not been widely reported until now, it was not an impulsive decision or an instance of Rubio acting independently. This account relies on insights from five individuals, including administration officials and allies, who spoke on condition of anonymity due to the sensitive nature of the discussions. Four of them indicated that Rubio was responsible for firing Marocco, providing differing reasons: one official stated that Rubio and others sought Marocco's exit because of his bulldozer operating style and inability to collaborate effectively with colleagues, while others cited fundamental disagreements over the approach to dismantling USAID. Meanwhile, Marocco's supporters viewed Rubio and his team as insular and obstructive to the president’s agenda.
A White House official recounted that Rubio sought authorization from a senior White House aide to dismiss Marocco after tensions escalated last week, describing the firing as “the first MAGA world killing from inside the White House.”
Marocco declined to comment when reached for his thoughts.
“President Trump and his team are extremely grateful for the work of Pete Marocco, who accomplished his mission to fix America’s long-broken foreign assistance enterprise,” stated White House spokesperson Anna Kelly. “His work carried out many of the President’s priorities to eliminate waste and restore accountability to taxpayers, and he will continue to be a welcome figure in the President’s movement to Make America Great Again.”
“Pete was brought to State with a big mission — to conduct an exhaustive review of every dollar spent on foreign assistance. He conducted that historic task and exposed egregious abuses of taxpayer dollars. We all expect big things are in store for Pete on his next mission," a State Department official commented.
The political fallout from Marocco’s dismissal continues to reverberate throughout the administration.
In the days following his removal, Marocco's MAGA allies came to his defense, raising fresh doubts about Rubio, including inquiries into why he would want to protect USAID and questioning his loyalty to the president.
The animosity directed at Rubio by MAGA loyalists highlights the ongoing conflict between the MAGA movement and conservatives they consider too entrenched in the establishment they seek to dismantle. The two men had previously disagreed over the Department of Government Efficiency’s significant cuts to USAID, which exemplified the second Trump administration's more aggressive approach to overhauling the federal bureaucracy. With Rubio's hold on power in the Cabinet perceived as precarious, Marocco’s ouster could further undermine his standing among Trump’s supporters.
“He’s really not a MAGA guy; he’s a neocon," remarked a Trump ally about Rubio, suggesting that this development “is gonna bite him.”
Another official knowledgeable about the situation stated that while Rubio was dissatisfied with Marocco, the reasons were not strictly ideological. Reports indicated that Marocco struggled to maintain good relationships with many immediate colleagues, including those reporting to him. Rubio and others also expressed frustration with Marocco's handling of day-to-day responsibilities.
“It wasn’t just Rubio who wanted him moved,” the official elaborated. “It was a group decision, including people from the White House, who were getting complaints about him.”
A former U.S. official familiar with Marocco's working relationships echoed this view. Marocco had reportedly sidelined career employees who could assist him in his duties and was often regarded as “flying blind,” according to the former official.
Throughout his tenure, Marocco had a reputation for ruffling feathers among colleagues, dating back to his previous roles in the first Trump administration. In 2020, during a brief stint at USAID, staffers were so discontent with his management style that they drafted a 13-page memo outlining their concerns for the agency's senior leaders.
Some staffers this time around were particularly frustrated by his memo and cable language, which had implications for USAID-related court cases, the former official noted.
In March, Rubio announced that 83 percent of USAID's programs had been cut, calling it “overdue and historic reform.” However, while Rubio sought to retain some programs, Marocco advocated for a complete dismantling of the foreign aid agency, according to three people familiar with the dynamics.
“That’s where the fight happened. They did not see eye to eye on killing USAID off forever or keeping part of it around,” said the White House official.
A State Department official disputed the notion that Rubio opposed a full shutdown of the agency: “Any assertion that we are looking to keep USAID operational is categorically false.”
Toward the end of March, Rubio stated that USAID would close, with remaining programs “elements that directly align with America’s national interests” migrating to the State Department, “creating a more streamlined process that will allow for oversight and accountability of every U.S. dollar spent,” the official added.
Despite this, MAGA factions have exploded with outrage over what they see as a betrayal of one of their own. Far-right influencer Laura Loomer, for instance, made social media posts that incited her followers against Rubio. Loomer had previously influenced a series of firings at the National Security Council, convincing Trump that certain high-ranking officials were not sufficiently aligned with MAGA. Marocco is regarded as a “die hard” loyalist, and his moves to cut USAID were popular among the Trump base, according to allies of the former president.
Conversely, Rubio's position as Trump's secretary of state remains tenuous, partly due to his traditional Republican background and his past challenge to Trump for the presidential nomination in 2016.
Since joining Trump’s team, Rubio has attempted to win over the MAGA base, appearing on various programs aimed at that faction of the party and adopting rhetoric that surprised observers who previously viewed him as more moderate, particularly regarding his stance on immigration.
While some MAGA factions have applauded Rubio’s actions, such as his recent decision to eliminate the remainder of a State Department initiative addressing disinformation—deemed by many on the far right as an effort to silence conservative voices—Rubio has indicated that Marocco’s departure does not signal the end of cuts to U.S. foreign assistance.
Recently, Rubio announced that under his leadership, the State Department had “canceled another 139 grants worth $214 million,” which he described as funding left-leaning movements.
Jessica Kline for TROIB News
News of Marocco's firing quickly spread throughout the Republican Party and the MAGA ecosystem, surprising loyalists of President Donald Trump who regarded Marocco as part of an elite group of staunch administration supporters. Prominent voices on the right criticized Secretary of State Marco Rubio, alleging that he was undermining the disruptive agenda they championed.
Though Marocco's abrupt termination has not been widely reported until now, it was not an impulsive decision or an instance of Rubio acting independently. This account relies on insights from five individuals, including administration officials and allies, who spoke on condition of anonymity due to the sensitive nature of the discussions. Four of them indicated that Rubio was responsible for firing Marocco, providing differing reasons: one official stated that Rubio and others sought Marocco's exit because of his bulldozer operating style and inability to collaborate effectively with colleagues, while others cited fundamental disagreements over the approach to dismantling USAID. Meanwhile, Marocco's supporters viewed Rubio and his team as insular and obstructive to the president’s agenda.
A White House official recounted that Rubio sought authorization from a senior White House aide to dismiss Marocco after tensions escalated last week, describing the firing as “the first MAGA world killing from inside the White House.”
Marocco declined to comment when reached for his thoughts.
“President Trump and his team are extremely grateful for the work of Pete Marocco, who accomplished his mission to fix America’s long-broken foreign assistance enterprise,” stated White House spokesperson Anna Kelly. “His work carried out many of the President’s priorities to eliminate waste and restore accountability to taxpayers, and he will continue to be a welcome figure in the President’s movement to Make America Great Again.”
“Pete was brought to State with a big mission — to conduct an exhaustive review of every dollar spent on foreign assistance. He conducted that historic task and exposed egregious abuses of taxpayer dollars. We all expect big things are in store for Pete on his next mission," a State Department official commented.
The political fallout from Marocco’s dismissal continues to reverberate throughout the administration.
In the days following his removal, Marocco's MAGA allies came to his defense, raising fresh doubts about Rubio, including inquiries into why he would want to protect USAID and questioning his loyalty to the president.
The animosity directed at Rubio by MAGA loyalists highlights the ongoing conflict between the MAGA movement and conservatives they consider too entrenched in the establishment they seek to dismantle. The two men had previously disagreed over the Department of Government Efficiency’s significant cuts to USAID, which exemplified the second Trump administration's more aggressive approach to overhauling the federal bureaucracy. With Rubio's hold on power in the Cabinet perceived as precarious, Marocco’s ouster could further undermine his standing among Trump’s supporters.
“He’s really not a MAGA guy; he’s a neocon," remarked a Trump ally about Rubio, suggesting that this development “is gonna bite him.”
Another official knowledgeable about the situation stated that while Rubio was dissatisfied with Marocco, the reasons were not strictly ideological. Reports indicated that Marocco struggled to maintain good relationships with many immediate colleagues, including those reporting to him. Rubio and others also expressed frustration with Marocco's handling of day-to-day responsibilities.
“It wasn’t just Rubio who wanted him moved,” the official elaborated. “It was a group decision, including people from the White House, who were getting complaints about him.”
A former U.S. official familiar with Marocco's working relationships echoed this view. Marocco had reportedly sidelined career employees who could assist him in his duties and was often regarded as “flying blind,” according to the former official.
Throughout his tenure, Marocco had a reputation for ruffling feathers among colleagues, dating back to his previous roles in the first Trump administration. In 2020, during a brief stint at USAID, staffers were so discontent with his management style that they drafted a 13-page memo outlining their concerns for the agency's senior leaders.
Some staffers this time around were particularly frustrated by his memo and cable language, which had implications for USAID-related court cases, the former official noted.
In March, Rubio announced that 83 percent of USAID's programs had been cut, calling it “overdue and historic reform.” However, while Rubio sought to retain some programs, Marocco advocated for a complete dismantling of the foreign aid agency, according to three people familiar with the dynamics.
“That’s where the fight happened. They did not see eye to eye on killing USAID off forever or keeping part of it around,” said the White House official.
A State Department official disputed the notion that Rubio opposed a full shutdown of the agency: “Any assertion that we are looking to keep USAID operational is categorically false.”
Toward the end of March, Rubio stated that USAID would close, with remaining programs “elements that directly align with America’s national interests” migrating to the State Department, “creating a more streamlined process that will allow for oversight and accountability of every U.S. dollar spent,” the official added.
Despite this, MAGA factions have exploded with outrage over what they see as a betrayal of one of their own. Far-right influencer Laura Loomer, for instance, made social media posts that incited her followers against Rubio. Loomer had previously influenced a series of firings at the National Security Council, convincing Trump that certain high-ranking officials were not sufficiently aligned with MAGA. Marocco is regarded as a “die hard” loyalist, and his moves to cut USAID were popular among the Trump base, according to allies of the former president.
Conversely, Rubio's position as Trump's secretary of state remains tenuous, partly due to his traditional Republican background and his past challenge to Trump for the presidential nomination in 2016.
Since joining Trump’s team, Rubio has attempted to win over the MAGA base, appearing on various programs aimed at that faction of the party and adopting rhetoric that surprised observers who previously viewed him as more moderate, particularly regarding his stance on immigration.
While some MAGA factions have applauded Rubio’s actions, such as his recent decision to eliminate the remainder of a State Department initiative addressing disinformation—deemed by many on the far right as an effort to silence conservative voices—Rubio has indicated that Marocco’s departure does not signal the end of cuts to U.S. foreign assistance.
Recently, Rubio announced that under his leadership, the State Department had “canceled another 139 grants worth $214 million,” which he described as funding left-leaning movements.
Jessica Kline for TROIB News
