International
Trump Administration Moves to Dismantle USAID, Fires Majority of Staff
- Trump administration moves to fire or place on leave most USAID employees worldwide.
- Layoffs affect around 1,600 US-based staff, with overseas personnel set for recall.
- Critics warn dismantling USAID will harm global humanitarian efforts and US influence.
The administration of US President Donald Trump is taking sweeping action to fire or place on leave nearly all employees of the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), effectively dismantling the primary agency responsible for US humanitarian aid abroad.
According to a notice posted on USAID’s website, all agency employees—except for those deemed essential for “mission-critical functions, core leadership, and specially designated programs”—will be placed on “administrative leave globally” starting Sunday at 11:59 p.m. EST (Monday 04:59 GMT).
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The process of laying off approximately 1,600 US-based employees will take place simultaneously, with affected individuals receiving notifications on February 23, 2025, outlining their benefits and next steps. Essential personnel, who are expected to remain in their roles, will be informed by agency leadership by 5 p.m. EST (22:00 GMT) the same day.
A previous internal notice had indicated that around 2,000 US-based positions would be cut, but no explanation was given for the discrepancy in numbers.
The move follows a ruling by a US judge on Friday, which cleared the way for the administration to proceed with recalling thousands of USAID staff from overseas within 30 days. USAID’s notice stated that overseas personnel would have access to a voluntary, government-funded return travel program, along with other benefits.
“USAID is committed to keeping its overseas personnel safe. Until they return home, personnel will retain access to Agency systems and diplomatic resources,” the agency said. Details on retrieving personal belongings and returning government-issued devices are expected to be released in the coming week.
The dismantling of USAID has been spearheaded by the Department of Government Efficiency, led by tech billionaire Elon Musk. Musk, a vocal critic of the agency, has previously described USAID as a “criminal organization” and a “viper’s nest of radical-left Marxists who hate America.” Trump allies have echoed these claims, arguing that USAID is plagued by waste, fraud, and a liberal ideological agenda beyond its intended mission.
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Former USAID officials and humanitarian organizations have strongly condemned the move, warning that it will have devastating consequences for millions of vulnerable people worldwide and significantly weaken US influence abroad.
“Eliminating the US’s unique response capacity of crisis experts who help contain disease outbreaks and stabilize displaced populations is a shortsighted, high-risk, and frankly, stupid act,” Marcia Wong, a former deputy assistant administrator for USAID’s Bureau for Humanitarian Assistance, wrote on X.
Established in 1961 by former President John F. Kennedy, USAID has long been the world’s largest humanitarian aid donor. In 2023 alone, it managed more than half of Washington’s $72 billion foreign aid budget.
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