WASHINGTON — On Monday, a significant number of high-ranking officials at the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) were placed on administrative leave as part of an ongoing investigation into actions allegedly aimed at undermining directives from President Donald Trump. This decision was confirmed by both a current and former USAID official, who chose to remain anonymous due to concerns over possible repercussions.
Additionally, several hundred contractors working in Washington and other locations were also let go, according to the officials. This comes in light of Trump’s recent executive order that instituted a 90-day pause on the majority of foreign assistance managed by the State Department.
The ramifications of this funding freeze have been significant, leading to a halt or suspension of numerous humanitarian, development, and security initiatives funded by the U.S. around the globe. Consequently, various aid organizations have had to lay off hundreds of employees due to the lack of financial resources to continue operations.
An internal notification from Jason Gray, the newly appointed acting administrator of USAID, highlighted that several actions within the agency seemed intended to bypass the President’s Executive Orders and the directives from the American public. Gray’s memo indicated that several employees had been placed on paid administrative leave while an evaluation of these actions is conducted.
Although Trump has issued numerous executive orders since his inauguration, the notification did not specify which particular orders the affected employees might have contravened. The individuals placed on leave possess extensive experience, having served through multiple administrations, including that of Trump.
Prior to their suspension, these officials were focused on assisting U.S.-funded aid organizations in managing the challenges posed by the funding freeze and were actively seeking waivers to maintain vital services. These services included providing access to clean water for displaced populations in conflict regions like Sudan and monitoring global threats such as bird flu.
Secretary of State Marco Rubio has made it clear that only emergency food assistance programs and military support for Israel and Egypt are exempt from this pause in foreign aid.
The Trump administration, along with GOP lawmakers—many of whom question the necessity of foreign aid and advocate for increased financial contributions from other nations—plans to reassess each foreign assistance initiative. The goal is to ensure that these programs align directly with U.S. interests and to eliminate those deemed superfluous or indicative of liberal social engineering.
This reporting on the administrative actions taken against USAID officials was first brought to light by Politico.
