The Trump administration's sweeping freeze on foreign assistance has caused chaos at the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), leading to the placement of senior officials on leave, mass layoffs of contractors, and a halt to critical aid programs. The administration's directive, interpreted as a gag order, has silenced aid organizations, fearing they will lose U.S. funding if they speak out. While some waivers for life-saving programs have been granted, critics argue the freeze jeopardizes the well-being of millions.
Trump administration changes have upended the U.S. agency charged with providing humanitarian aid overseas, with senior officials put on leave, contractors laid off and a sweeping freeze imposed on foreign assistanceA banner presents a USAID supported project for the rehabilitation of two water towers in the village of Ciorescu, Moldova, Thursday, Jan. 30, 2025. Trump administration changes have upended the U.S.
Three officials said many of those put on leave were lawyers involved in determining what programs might qualify for waivers, helping write proposals and submitting those waiver requests as they believed they had been invited to do. “As a result, we have placed a number of USAID employees on administrative leave with full pay and benefits until further notice while we complete our analysis of these actions,” Gray wrote.
On Thursday, a USAID human resources official who tried to reverse the action, saying there was no justification for it, was himself placed on leave, according to two of the officials who had viewed internal emails and verified them as authentic. Reporters from ProPublica and Vox first reported the emails on X.
The staffing changes came three days after the State Department issued guidelines last Friday for implementing Trump’s executive order freezing foreign assistance for 90 days. The department says it's reviewing the money the United States is spending to ensure it adheres to administration policy. The step of shutting down U.S.-funded programs during the 90-day review meant the U.S. was “getting a lot more cooperation” from recipients of humanitarian, development and security assistance, Rubio said. “Because otherwise you don’t get your money.”
HUMANITARIAN AID FOREIGN POLICY TRUMP ADMINISTRATION USAID CONGRESSIONAL APPROVAL
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