The U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) is facing significant staff reductions, with its workforce expected to shrink from over 5,000 employees to approximately 290. The agency is being drastically scaled back by the Trump administration, which aims to eliminate some federal agencies and reduce the overall size of the federal workforce. Thousands of USAID employees have been placed on administrative leave and ordered to return to the United States. This move has sparked criticism from unions representing USAID employees and concerns about the impact on global humanitarian assistance.
The United States Agency for International Development ( USAID ) is facing significant staff reductions, with its workforce expected to shrink from over 5,000 foreign service officers, civil servants, and contractors to approximately 290 employees. This drastic cut has already resulted in the termination or furloughing of most of the agency's 3,000 institutional support contractors. The fate of the remaining 5,000 foreign service nationals deployed worldwide remains uncertain.
While some bureaus, such as Humanitarian Assistance, Global Health, and Management, are anticipated to retain a larger portion of their staff, the overall impact is stark. Under the proposed plan, Africa would be allocated only 12 personnel, and Asia would have a mere eight, representing a significant decline from previous staffing levels. Europe, which employed approximately 600 dedicated personnel across both field and Washington, D.C. offices last year, will now be managed by a mere 10 employees. Thousands of USAID employees received notice of administrative leave commencing at 11:59 p.m. Friday, with a directive to return to the United States within 30 days for overseas personnel. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, addressing the situation, stated that the actions were not intended to be disruptive and emphasized that the administration was not being punitive. He acknowledged that exceptions would be made for employees facing extraordinary circumstances. Meanwhile, the American Foreign Service Association (AFSA), representing 1,800 USAID foreign service officers, and the American Federation of Government Employees (AFGE) have filed a lawsuit against the Trump administration, alleging that the agency's dismantling has created a global humanitarian crisis by abruptly halting USAID's crucial work. They argue that the administration's actions lack congressional authorization and violate federal statutes. The lawsuit seeks a temporary restraining order and preliminary injunction to halt the shutdown. The AFSA had previously criticized the Trump administration's recall of foreign service personnel from overseas, stating that it punished dedicated public servants and damaged U.S. interests abroad. The USAID action is part of a broader effort by the Trump administration to significantly reduce the federal workforce. The administration has announced buyouts for approximately 2 million federal workers, as President Trump and tech billionaire Elon Musk, leading the Department of Government Efficiency, aim to reshape the federal government and eliminate certain agencies. However, a federal judge in Boston temporarily blocked the buyout offer pending a hearing on Monday
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