In a sweeping move, the Trump administration has announced that nearly all employees of the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) will be placed on administrative leave effective February 7, 2025. This decision is part of a broader strategy to significantly downsize the agency, reducing its global workforce from over 10,000 to fewer than 300 staff members.
The reorganization, led by the Department of Government Efficiency under businessman Elon Musk, has already resulted in the termination of hundreds of internal contractors and the suspension of numerous life-saving programs worldwide. Only a select group of employees, including eight in the Asia bureau and twelve in the Africa bureau, will retain their positions.
The administration’s plan includes merging USAID with the State Department, currently headed by Secretary of State Marco Rubio. However, this proposed merger requires congressional approval, as USAID was established and funded by law.
Critics argue that this drastic reduction jeopardizes the agency’s ability to provide essential aid to conflict-ridden and impoverished nations, including Ukraine, Ethiopia, and Yemen. Former USAID Administrator J. Brian Atwood expressed concern, stating that the mass termination of personnel would effectively dismantle an agency that has been instrumental in saving tens of millions of lives globally.
The U.S. State Department has not provided comments on this decision.
