In a massive restructuring effort, the Trump administration has put nearly all USAID staffers worldwide on leave, with at least 1,600 U.S.-based employees being let go. This move is part of a broader campaign to downsize the federal government.
The administration’s plan to slash USAID jobs was given the green light by U.S. District Judge Carl Nichols on Friday, despite pleas from employees to block the move. The judge’s ruling allowed the administration to move forward with its plan to pull thousands of USAID staffers off the job.
As a result, the agency has initiated a reduction in force process, which will eliminate 2,000 U.S.-based jobs, although a later notice on USAID’s website revised this number downward to 1,600. The administration gave no explanation for the discrepancy.
The move is the latest step in President Donald Trump’s goal of gutting the six-decade-old aid and development agency. Trump and cost-cutting ally Elon Musk have been pushing to slash the size of the federal government.
“As of 11:59 p.m. EST on Sunday, February 23, 2025, 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,” according to the notices sent to USAID workers that were viewed by The Associated Press. USAID and the State Department did not immediately respond to messages seeking comment on the job cuts. The agency’s website posted a notice about the reduction in force, but provided few details.
The massive layoffs are expected to have significant implications for USAID’s operations worldwide, including its humanitarian assistance programs in over 120 countries.Lawsuits by government workers’ unions, USAID contractors and others say the administration lacks the constitutional authority to eliminate an independent agency or congressionally funded programs without lawmakers’ approval.
The Trump administration efforts upend decades of U.S. policy that aid and development work overseas serves national security by stabilizing regions and economies and building alliances. The notices of firings and leaves come on top of hundreds of USAID contractors receiving no-name form letters of termination in the past week, according to copies that AP viewed.
The blanket nature of the notification letters to USAID contractors, excluding the names or positions of those receiving them, could make it difficult for the dismissed workers to get unemployment benefits, workers noted. A different judge in a second lawsuit tied to USAID said this past week that the administration had kept withholding foreign aid despite his order temporarily blocking the funding freeze and must restore the funding to programs worldwide.
The separate ruling from Nichols, a Trump appointee, on Friday also cleared the way for the administration to start the clock on a planned 30-day deadline for USAID staffers and their families to return home if they want their travel paid for by the government.
The judge said he was satisfied by Trump administration assurances that workers abroad would be allowed to stay in their jobs while on leave beyond the 30 days even if they chose to remain overseas. USAID’s notice Sunday said it was “committed to keeping its overseas personnel safe” and pledged not to cut off USAID staffers abroad from agency systems and other support.
Source : https://apnews.com/
