John Barsa

John Barsa is an American government official who served as Acting Administrator of the United States Agency for International Development in 2020. He became acting deputy administrator on November 7, 2020, to circumvent the Federal Vacancies Reform Act of 1998, which required him to step down, and the administrator's position was left vacant.

John Barsa
Acting Deputy Administrator of the
United States Agency for International Development
In office
November 7, 2020 – January 20, 2021
PresidentDonald Trump
Preceded byBonnie Glick
Succeeded byVacant
Acting Administrator of the United States Agency for International Development
In office
April 13, 2020 – November 6, 2020
PresidentDonald Trump
Preceded byMark Andrew Green
Succeeded byGloria Steele (acting)
Personal details
Political partyRepublican
Spouse(s)Lisa Piraneo
Children2
EducationFlorida International University (BA)
Syracuse University (GrDip)
Military service
Branch/service United States Army enlisted, E4

Early life and education

The son of a Cuban refugee, Barsa was raised in Miami, Florida. He earned a Bachelor of Arts in International Affairs from Florida International University and a graduate diploma from the Syracuse University National Security Management Fellows Program at Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs.

Career

Barsa began his career working in the defense sector. Barsa enlisted in the United States Army Reserve and served on the staff of U.S. Representative Lincoln Díaz-Balart. During the George W. Bush Administration, Barsa worked as a legislative affairs special assistant at NASA. After the Department of Homeland Security was established, Barsa was the director of the department's Office of Public Liaison. In 2011, Barsa was a Republican candidate for the Virginia House of Delegates, losing to incumbent Democrat Scott Surovell.[1][2][3]

Trump administration

Barsa was on the Donald Trump transition team and later assistant to then-DHS director John F. Kelly. Barsa was later transferred to the United States Agency for International Development where he became Assistant Administrator for the Bureau for Latin America and the Caribbean.

Barsa became acting administrator on April 13, 2020, after the resignation of Mark Andrew Green. Under the Federal Vacancies Reform Act of 1998, he was required to step down after 210 days unless he was nominated for the position and confirmed by the U.S. Senate. Instead, on November 6, 2020, Trump fired Deputy Administrator Bonnie Glick and named Barsa to her position in an acting capacity, effectively keeping him at the helm of the agency, even though the role was a demotion.[4][5][6][7]

On November 23, 2020, Barsa tested positive for Covid-19. He regularly dismissed the need to wear a mask or observe any basic guidelines to prevent the spread of the virus (e.g., handwashing, social distancing, etc.), and he required employees to be present for in-person meetings. He is considered to have caused a widespread outbreak of Covid-19 inside the USAID headquarters building.

Personal life

Barsa is married to Lisa Piraneo Barsa, a lobbyist for ACT! for America. The couple have two children. In 2019, Piraneo's relationship with Barsa was scrutinized after an ACT! for America poster featuring Congresswoman Ilhan Omar superimposed over a picture of the Twin Towers falling was hung in the West Virginia House of Delegates.[8][9][10]

Barsa’s older daughter lashed out publicly against her father for his opposition to abortion. On August 3, 2020, Camille Barsa, an ardent supporter of Joe Biden’s presidential campaign, publicly disowned her father. Her twitter account was subsequently made private.

References
  1. "John Barsa". www.usaid.gov. 2020-04-13. Retrieved 2020-06-15.
  2. "Republican John Barsa Gunning for 44th House District". Greater Alexandria, VA Patch. 2011-09-15. Retrieved 2020-06-15.
  3. June 3; English, 2020Click to read this article in SpanishClick to read this article in (2020-06-03). "On Trump's Latin America team: Michael Pack's nomination to run VOA heads to the Senate". Global Americans. Retrieved 2020-06-15.
  4. White House fires USAID deputy to keep Barsa at helm
  5. Second-highest-ranking official at USAID ousted
  6. Trump administration fires deputy at U.S.A.I.D. to keep the acting chief in top job
  7. ON USAID LEADERSHIP
  8. Inc, The Young Turks. "Group Behind Ilhan Omar 9/11 Poster Tied to Trump Nominee". TYT Network. Retrieved 2020-06-15.
  9. Relman, Eliza. "Rep. Ilhan Omar's comments about Israel are consuming Congress with Trump, Pelosi, and Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez all taking sides". Business Insider. Retrieved 2020-06-15.
  10. "ACT for America Tries To Distance Themselves From One of Their 'Most Influential Activists'". Southern Poverty Law Center. Retrieved 2020-06-15.
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