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The Trump administration announced on Sunday that it is ending at least 1,600 jobs at USAID and placing most others on leave.
The decision was announced after a federal judge on Friday allowed the administration to continue its plan to cut USAID staff jobs in the U.S. and internationally.
“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,” according to the notices sent to USAID workers that were viewed by The Associated Press.
Pete Marocco, a current Trump-appointed USAID leader, has indicated he plans to keep about 600 mostly U.S.-based staff members who will arrange travel for international staff members to return home.
According to Fox News, “The Trump administration intends on leaving fewer than 300 staffers on the job, out of the current 8,000 contractors and direct hires.”
Fewer than 300 remaining staff members, along with an unspecified portion of the 5,000 locally recruited international personnel abroad, will operate the handful of life-saving programs that the administration has promised to maintain for now, the report added.
Staff members were notified weeks ago of the pending decision, with Trump also implementing a 90-day pause on foreign aid.
Trump also appointed Secretary of State Marco Rubio to serve as acting director of USAID.
The agency was one of the many under investigation by Trump administration officials over wasteful spending.
“LOOKS LIKE BILLIONS OF DOLLARS HAVE BEEN STOLEN AT USAID, AND OTHER AGENCIES, MUCH OF IT GOING TO THE FAKE NEWS MEDIA AS A ‘PAYOFF’ FOR CREATING GOOD STORIES ABOUT THE DEMOCRATS. THE LEFT WING ‘RAG,’ KNOWN AS ‘POLITICO,’ SEEMS TO HAVE RECEIVED $8,000,000. Did the New York Times receive money??? Who else did??? THIS COULD BE THE BIGGEST SCANDAL OF THEM ALL, PERHAPS THE BIGGEST IN HISTORY! THE DEMOCRATS CAN’T HIDE FROM THIS ONE. TOO BIG, TOO DIRTY!” Trump posted in all caps on Feb. 6.
A Feb. 3 article from the White House listed several examples, including, “$1.5 million to ‘advance diversity equity and inclusion in Serbia’s workplaces and business communities,’ $70,000 for production of a ‘DEI musical’ in Ireland and $2.5 million for electric vehicles for Vietnam.”
