On Sunday, the Trump administration disclosed that the US Agency for International Development (USAID) is terminating more than 1,600 personnel. The agency has placed numerous employees who are located outside of the United States on paid administrative leave.
“I am sorry to inform you that you are impacted by a Reduction in Force action,” stated an email that was reviewed by Reuters and was sent to one of the employees who was being terminated. The email stated that individuals who received the note will be terminated from federal service effective April 24.
The leaders and critical personnel at USAID are the sole employees who are still employed.
As per the notices sent to USAID workers that were viewed by The Associated Press, all USAID direct hire personnel, with the exception of designated personnel responsible for mission-critical functions, core leadership, and/or specially designated programs, will be placed on administrative leave globally as of 11:59 p.m. EST on Sunday, February 23, 2025.
USAID versus Musk
The action was the most recent and one of the most significant measures taken in the direction of the goal of US President Donald Trump and his cost-cutting ally, Elon Musk, to eliminate the six-decade-old aid and development agency as part of a broader campaign to reduce the size of the federal government.
USAID is the primary delivery mechanism for American foreign assistance and a critical instrument of US “soft power” for gaining influence abroad.
Trump’s attempt to terminate USAID
Immediately upon assuming office on January 20, Trump implemented a 90-day moratorium on foreign aid, which resulted in the cessation of financing for a wide range of initiatives, including the provision of shelters for millions of displaced individuals worldwide and the prevention of starvation and deadly diseases.
According to a list of exemptions reviewed by Reuters, the administration has approved exceptions to the moratorium totaling $5.3 billion, primarily for security and counter-narcotics programs. The list also included limited humanitarian relief.
The exemptions granted to USAID programs were less than $100 million, in contrast to the approximately $40 billion in programs that were administered annually prior to the moratorium.
Following the approval of the administration’s plan to terminate the employment of thousands of USAID employees in the United States and other countries by a federal magistrate on Friday, the organization has implemented the decision to terminate 1,600 employees based in the United States. In a lawsuit filed by employees, US District Judge Carl Nichols declined to continue temporarily obstructing the government’s plan.
