Trump Administration Laying Off 2,000 USAID Workers

The administration of US President Donald Trump said Sunday that it is eliminating 2,000 positions at the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) and placing nearly all other staffers on administrative leave.

According to multiple media sources, an email has been sent to USAID employees stating that “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.”

The agency also intends to launch a program to pay for their return home if the employees desire to.

Subsequent emails are expected to reveal more details, as stated in the email received by numerous USAID employees, on how to proceed in the coming weeks.

The Trump administration, following suggestions from US tech billionaire Elon Musk, who heads the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), initiated the shutdown of USAID’s operations domestically and internationally.

The move has led to widespread disruptions in global aid programs, affecting non-governmental organizations and media organizations that rely on the agency’s funding.

USAID was established by President John F. Kennedy in 1961. Later, Congress established USAID as an independent agency, meaning that an act of Congress would be required to eliminate it.