In Washington, an abrupt change is affecting the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), as thousands of its employees face job terminations or are placed on administrative leave in a move by the Trump administration. These employees have been granted a narrow timeframe this Thursday and Friday to vacate their workspaces.
The agency announced on Monday that 4,080 staff members worldwide have been placed on leave. Additionally, a “reduction in force” is set to affect another 1,600 employees, according to a State Department spokesperson.
USAID has found itself at the center of efforts by President Donald Trump and the Department of Government Efficiency to significantly reduce the size of the federal government. This initiative, part of a broader reform spearheaded by Elon Musk, dramatically reduces the operational capabilities of the agency.
The Trump administration has moved quickly to shut down USAID, claiming that its programs are inconsistent with the president’s goals and labeling its initiatives as wasteful without providing evidence. This action is unusual as it bypasses Congress, which has traditionally provided authorization and funding for the agency.
A report from the Congressional Research Service earlier in the month emphasized that abolishment or restructuring of USAID would require congressional approval. However, with Republican majorities in both legislative houses, there has been little resistance to the administration’s decisions. The administration intends to eliminate over 90% of USAID’s foreign aid contracts, totaling $60 billion in global assistance.
The number of displaced USAID staff members at its headquarters in Washington is still unknown. An announcement on the agency’s website indicated that staff at different locations could gather their personal items later.
The directive outlined the procedure for when groups of employees should report to have their items screened by security and be escorted to their previous work areas. Those leaving the agency must return any USAID-issued materials. Employees on leave are to keep their materials until their official separation.
For many USAID employees, the terms under which they must retrieve personal possessions felt demeaning. Notices cautioned workers against bringing any weapons, including firearms and unconventional items like “spear guns” or “hand grenades.” Each person is allowed only a 15-minute window at their former desk.
The administration’s broader efforts to scale back the federal government are currently being contested in court, but attempts to secure temporary halts to the USAID shutdown have been unsuccessful.
However, a federal judge recently mandated the Trump administration to release halted U.S. foreign aid funds by this week, criticizing the lack of adherence to an earlier court directive to lift the freeze. The Supreme Court intervened on Wednesday, putting the order on hold pending further examination.
This scenario unfolded due to a legal challenge from nonprofits against the suspension of foreign aid conducted through USAID and the State Department. Trump’s executive decision on his first day in office sought to curb what he described as unnecessary programs not aligning with his foreign policy objectives.
Virginia Democratic Representative Gerald Connolly condemned the move against USAID employees, labeling it as “unwarranted and unprecedented.” Connolly noted that these agency workers form a crucial part of “the world’s premier development and foreign assistance agency,” responsible for saving “millions of lives each year.”
USAID Staff Told to Quickly Vacate as Agency Closes
