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The Trump administration is set to reduce the workforce of the U.S. Agency for International Development, known as USAID, by eliminating thousands of positions right before midnight on Sunday.
According to reports from the Associated Press, approximately 1,600 positions will be cut following notifications sent to USAID employees.
As outlined in the notifications, all USAID direct hire personnel, except those essential for critical functions and core leadership roles, will face administrative leave globally starting at 11:59 p.m. EST on February 23, 2025.
This drastic decision will leave fewer than 300 staff members active from the current roster of 8,000 contractors and direct hires.
The remaining personnel, alongside an unspecified number of the 5,000 locally hired international staff stationed abroad, will oversee a handful of vital programs that the administration plans to maintain for the time being.
On Friday, employees who were terminated exited their Washington, D.C., offices for the final time, some with boxes that bore messages evidently directed at President Trump regarding the agency’s workforce reductions.
One employee carried a box that read, “We are abandoning the world,” an unsettling message reflecting the sentiment within the agency.
Another staffer, sharing a more optimistic view, had a box that proclaimed, “You can take the humanitarians out of USAID but you can’t take the humanity out of the humanitarians,” showcasing a resilient spirit among some employees.
Weeks earlier, thousands of staff members received notifications about their upcoming layoffs. On the same day of the final exits, U.S. District Judge Carl Nichols lifted a temporary restraining order he had implemented at the start of a lawsuit from government employee unions, which aimed to halt the mass layoffs. Following the order’s removal, the judge did not issue a long-term ruling that would have retained employees in their roles.
In recent months, the Trump administration has taken substantial steps to streamline USAID operations, including a temporary 90-day halt on foreign aid initiatives. Additionally, Secretary of State Marco Rubio has been appointed as the acting director of the agency.
Amid these significant workforce changes, USAID has been scrutinized by the Department of Government Efficiency, often referred to as DOGE, which is led by Elon Musk. They have raised concerns over perceived wasteful spending by the agency.
Senator Joni Ernst, a Republican from Iowa and chairwoman of the Senate DOGE Caucus, highlighted several questionable projects funded by USAID. One notable instance included $20 million allocated for producing a Sesame Street program in Iraq, raising questions about the agency’s expenditure priorities.
Further investigations revealed additional controversial financial commitments by USAID. More than $900,000 was given to a Gaza-based charity titled Bayader Association for Environment and Development, while another $1.5 million was earmarked for a program designed to promote diversity, equity, and inclusion in Serbia’s workplaces.
As the workforce reduction unfolds, the remaining staff at USAID will likely face significant challenges in maintaining ongoing programs amidst reduced resources.
While the administration defends these cuts as necessary for efficiency, many former employees and critics argue that the drastic downsizing undermines the agency’s ability to support critical humanitarian efforts globally. The impact of these decisions on international aid remains to be seen, but many express concern about what this means for vulnerable populations dependent on USAID’s support.
This massive restructuring at USAID signifies a remarkable shift in the agency’s operation as it strives to redefine its role and responsibilities under the current administration’s guidance.
Given the complexity of international aid and development, stakeholders within and outside the agency will be closely monitoring the outcomes of these changes during the coming months.
