The Trump administration has initiated a sweeping restructuring of the US Agency for International Development (USAID), placing most of its employees on leave and eliminating 2,000 US-based positions. This move marks a significant step in the administration’s efforts to reduce government spending and reshape USAID, which has long been a key instrument in global humanitarian and development work.
“As of 11:59 p.m. EST on Sunday, February 23, 2025, all USAID direct hire personnel, except designated personnel responsible for mission-critical functions, core leadership and/or specially designated programs, will be placed on administrative leave globally,” according to the notices sent to USAID workers that The Associated Press viewed.
USAID added that it will fund return travel expenses for staff based overseas.
“In the coming week, we will provide details on how to retrieve personal items from the former USAID workspaces and return government issued devices,” it said, AFP reported
Trump and his allies — including billionaire donor Elon Musk — allege USAID is rife with “fraud,”
The move comes after a federal judge on Friday allowed the administration to move forward with its plan to pull thousands of USAID staffers off the job in the United States and worldwide. US District Judge Carl Nichols rejected pleas in a lawsuit from employees to keep temporarily blocking the government’s plan.
The changes come after a series of legal challenges and are part of a broader strategy to cut federal programs, with critics questioning the agency’s efficiency and the long-term impact of its global initiatives.
The move is a step forward in Trump’s effort to dismantle USAID, which has more than 10,000 employees and operates an array of humanitarian and development programs worldwide.
The move escalates a month-long push to dismantle the agency, including closing its headquarters in Washington and shutting down thousands of aid and development programs worldwide following an effort to freeze all foreign assistance. Trump and Musk contend that USAID’s work is wasteful and furthers a liberal agenda.
Source link