Washington, Apr 15 (AP) The Trump administration has expanded the power of adviser Elon Musk's government-cutting team over the State Department, making a Musk lieutenant acting head of all foreign assistance there.

A senior US official confirmed the new job for Jeremy Lewin, an associate of the Department of Government Efficiency earlier appointed to help finish dismantling the US Agency for International Development.

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The official was not authorized to speak publicly on a personnel matter and spoke on the condition of anonymity.

The move comes as President Donald Trump's administration is pushing to greatly reduce what in 2024 was USD 52 billion in humanitarian, health and development programmes overseas by the State Department and USAID.

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Lewin's appointment gives Musk's team, which has worked with the Republican administration to make deep cuts to government programs and services, one of its highest formal roles in the federal government.

Lewin's appointment follows the departure of a Trump political appointee, Pete Marocco, as the administration's head of foreign assistance. State officials credited Marocco with helping oversee the elimination of staff, programmes and funding at USAID.

Marocco in the role reportedly clashed with Secretary of State Marco Rubio and others in the administration and Congress. (AP)

(The above story is verified and authored by Press Trust of India (PTI) staff. PTI, India’s premier news agency, employs more than 400 journalists and 500 stringers to cover almost every district and small town in India.. The views appearing in the above post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY)