The Trump administration announced Sunday it’s eliminating 2,000 positions at the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) and placing nearly all remaining staff worldwide on administrative leave.
The move follows Friday’s federal court decision by U.S. District Judge Carl Nichols to allow the administration to proceed with its workforce reduction plan, marking a significant escalation in the monthlong effort to dismantle the agency.
Newsweek reached out to the White House via email on Sunday for comment.
Why It Matters
The restructuring comes amid broader administration efforts through the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), an unofficial agency created by executive order that is led by billionaire Elon Musk, to reorganize federal agencies.
USAID has drawn particular attention due to the global reach and range of operations, which includes handling epidemics, global food insecurities and education funding, playing a pivotal role in U.S. foreign policy. DOGE targeted the agency early on, putting all but a few hundred direct-hire employees on leave “with the exception of designated personnel responsible for mission-critical functions, core leadership and specially designated programs.”
The Trump administration has revealed plans to eventually absorb USAID’s functions into the State Department.
What To Know
Effective 11:59 p.m. ET on Sunday, most USAID staff will be placed on administrative leave globally, except those designated for mission-critical functions and core leadership.
The agency’s Washington, D.C., headquarters has been closed, with thousands of aid and development programs worldwide shutting down. Overseas personnel must also return to the U.S. within 30 days at government expense. Contractors have received unnamed termination letters, which workers warn could complicate unemployment benefits claims.
While one judge has temporarily blocked the foreign assistance freeze, requiring restoration of program funding, Judge Nichols determined that emergency communication provisions, including two-way radios and a panic button app, adequately address safety concerns for overseas staff.
AP Photo/Jose Luis Magana
What People Are Saying
U.S. District Judge Carl Nichols said in a previous statement: “The risk posed to USAID employees who are placed on administrative leave while stationed abroad—if there is any—is far more minimal than it initially appeared.”
U.S. Agency for International Development’s notice to workers: “USAID is committed to keeping its overseas personnel safe. Until they return home, personnel will retain access to Agency systems and to diplomatic and other resources.”
USAID Deputy Administrator Pete Marocco said in a court filing on Thursday: “[USAID] will undertake all measures as appropriate to ensure the safety and security of current employees.”
El Salvador’s President Nayib Bukele earlier this month wrote on X, formerly Twitter: “Most governments don’t want USAID funds flowing into their countries because they understand where much of that money actually ends up. While marketed as support for development, democracy, and human rights, the majority of these funds are funneled into opposition groups, NGOs with political agendas, and destabilizing movements.”
What Happens Next?
Thousands of USAID workers will be left unemployed as the Trump administration continues to degrade the agency and merge it with the State Department.
AP Photo/Manuel Balce Ceneta
