The White House says there have been no changes to the “Let Girls Learn” initiative.

"There have been no changes to the program," Kelly Love, a White House spokeswoman, told CNN, hours after the network reported on internal documents which stated that the stand-alone program would be shut down immediately.

Statements from the Peace Corps and United States Agency for International Development (USAID) to CNN and The Independent, respectively, indicated that the program would stop operating at full capacity, effective Monday. But a second spokesperson at USAID emailed The Independent hours after the first statement was received, saying that the program had not been changed.

Neither the White House or the USAID spokesperson indicated how long the program would continue, nor did they address why the memo had been sent.

The White House originally referred questions from CNN about the program to representatives of first lady Melania Trump, who declined to comment.

The news network had obtained internal emails directing Peace Corps employees not to use the “Let Girls Learn” name or branding. The emails, from Peace Corps acting director Sheila Crowley, said that while they may continue some “Let Girls Learn” projects, the Peace Corps would no longer maintain a stand-alone “Let Girls Learn” program.

In an initial statement, a spokesperson from USAID told The Independent the agency is "committed to empowering women and girls around the world" and are "continuing to examine the best ways to do so."

Michelle Obama 'shaken to the core' by Donald Trump comments

Ms Obama launched the $250 million initiative in 2015 with the aim of using public and private partnerships to fund “new efforts to expand educational opportunities for girls – including in areas of conflict and crisis.”

In the two years since its formation, the program has invested at least $1 billion in programming in 50 different countries. Much of that funding came in the form of donations from more than 100 companies and 11 other nations – some of which gave up to $600 million.

The Obama administration had attempted to fortify the program last year, announcing $5 million in private sector donations to “Let Girls Learn” projects. Tina Tchen, Ms Obama's former chief of staff, told CNN the programme had secured several more year’s worth of funding.

"We were hopeful that given that, it could continue,” Ms Tchen said. “But obviously elections have consequences, and nobody knows that better than we."

Michelle Obama as the First Lady Show all 11 1 /11 Michelle Obama as the First Lady Michelle Obama as the First Lady NEW YORK - MARCH 9: Michelle Obama, wife of Presidential candidate Senator Barack Obama (D-IL) addresses the crowd at a fundraising event at the Grand Hyatt March 9, 2007 in New York City. The mass fundraiser of Senator Barack Obama targeted a youthful demographic. (Photo by Michael Nagle/Getty Images) Getty Michelle Obama as the First Lady WASHINGTON - JANUARY 4: U.S. Senator Barack Obama (D-IL) (2nd L) poses for with his wife Michelle (2nd R), Vice President Dick Cheney (R), daughters (C) Malia and Sasha during the reenactment of a swearing -in ceremony on Capitol Hill January 4, 2005 in Washington, DC. The 109th Congress was sworn in January 4. (Photo by Alex Wong/Getty Images) Getty Michelle Obama as the First Lady LOS ANGELES, CA - MARCH 19: Senator Barack Obama and his wife Michelle arrive at the 36th NAACP Image Awards at the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion on March 19, 2005 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Frederick M. Brown/Getty Images) Getty Michelle Obama as the First Lady AMES, IA - FEBRUARY 11: Michelle Obama, wife of Senator Barack Obama (D-IL), listens with her daughter Sasha as the Senator addresses a crowd gathered at a campaign rally at Iowa State University February 11, 2007 in Ames, Iowa. Obama is wrapping up a two-day campaign swing through Iowa after announcing February 10, that he would seek the Democratic nomination for President. (Photo by Scott Olson/Getty Images) Getty Michelle Obama as the First Lady DES MOINES, IA - DECEMBER 08: Michelle Obama (L) and talk show host Oprah Winfrey embrace at a rally for Democratic presidential hopeful Barack Obama December 8, 2007 in Des Moines, Iowa. Obama and Winfrey are scheduled to make two stops in Iowa before heading off to campaign events in South Carolina and New Hampshire tomorrow. (Photo by Scott Olson/Getty Images) Getty Michelle Obama as the First Lady CHICAGO - FEBRUARY 05: Michelle Obama, wife of Democratic presidential hopeful Sen. Barack Obama (D-IL), arrives for a Super Tuesday event at the Hyatt Hotel Feburary 5, 2008 in Chicago, Illinois. Polls showed Obama and his rival for the Democratic nomination, Sen. Hillary Clinton (D-NY), in a virtual tie going into Super Tuesday, where primaries and caucuses are held in 24 states. (Photo by Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images) Getty Michelle Obama as the First Lady US President Barack Obama (L) and his wife Michelle (2nd L) meet with Britain's Queen Elizabeth II (2nd R) and Prince Philip, the Duke of Edinburgh (R) during an audience at Buckingham Palace in London, on April 1, 2009. US President Barack Obama visited Queen Elizabeth II at Buckingham Palace on Wednesday while his in London for the G20 summit. Obama and wife Michelle were hosted by the queen for a meeting, the day before the crunch summit on tackling the world economic crisis. AFP PHOTO/John Stillwell/WPA POOL (Photo credit should read JOHN STILLWELL/AFP/Getty Images) Getty Michelle Obama as the First Lady LONDON, ENGLAND - OCTOBER 11: A screen shows the First Lady of the United States Michelle Obama, as girls participate in a live conversation with her and other school girls around the world, via a video link at the Mulberry School for Girls n OCtober 11, 2016 in London, England. A Global Conversation on Girl's Education was a digital conversation with adolescent girls around the world. The event took place in celebration of International Day of the Girl. Girls in Washington, D.C., Jordan, Peru, Tanzania, and the Mulberry School for Girls in the United Kingdom spoke with one another about the challenges they have faced and potentially overcome in attaining an education. (Kirsty Wigglesworth-WPA Pool/Getty Images) Getty Michelle Obama as the First Lady Executive Director of Let's Move! and Senior Policy Advisor for Nutrition Policy at The White House Debra Eschmeyer (L) looks on as First Lady Michelle Obama (C) helps a child harvest sweet potatoes from the White House Kitchen Garden during a harvesting event at the White House in Washington, DC, October 6, 2016. / AFP / JIM WATSON (Photo credit should read JIM WATSON/AFP/Getty Images) Getty Michelle Obama as the First Lady WASHINGTON, DC - MAY 20: U.S. first lady Michelle Obama dances with students from turn around schools during a talent show at the East Room of the White House May 20, 2014 in Washington, DC. President Obamas Committee on the Arts and the Humanities held the first-ever White House Talent Show featuring performances by major artists and showcase the talents of students from schools participating in the Turnaround Arts program which helps to turn around low-performing schools and increase student achievement through arts education. (Photo by Alex Wong/Getty Images) Getty Michelle Obama as the First Lady WASHINGTON, DC - APRIL 06: First Lady Michelle Obama dances with members of the All Stars from from the television show "So You Can Dance" during the annual White House Easter Egg Roll on the South Lawn April 6, 2015 in Washington, DC. President Obama and the first lady hosted thousands of children for the annual White House event dating back to 1876 that features live music, sports courts, cooking stations, storytelling, as well as the Easter egg roll this year. (Photo by Mark Wilson/Getty Images) Getty

Announcing the discontinuation of the programme, Ms Crowley said her agency was “proud” of what the program accomplished.

'Let Girls Learn' provided a platform to showcase Peace Corps' strength in community development, shining a bright light on the work of our Volunteers all over the world," Crowley wrote in her email to employees.

The Peace Corps did not respond to requests for additional comment.

Mr Trump's daughter, Ivanka Trump, has largely taken on the role of advising the president on women's empowerment. The first daughter, however, seems more focused on empowering women in business. She hosted a dinner party for CEOs to discuss women in the workforce in February, and orchestrated the creation of a joint US-Canada Council for the Advancement of Women Business Leaders-Female Entrepreneurs.

On a trip to Germany this month, Ms Trump announced the creation of a fund to benefit female entrepreneurs around the world.

Critics expressed their dissatisfaction with the discontinuation of "Let Girls Learn" using Ms Trump's signature hashtag.

"It's harder to have #WomenWhoWork if you don't #LetGirlsLearn," former Organising for America communications director Jesse Lehrich tweeted.

Also on Monday, Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue rolled back parts of Ms Obama’s other signature project, the National School Lunch Program. Republicans often complained about the “burdens” of the program, which required all school meals to meet Institute of Medicine nutritional guidelines.