The Trump administration has announced the elimination of 2,000 positions at the US Agency for International Development (USAID) and placed nearly all of its overseas staff on administrative leave.
The decision follows a ruling from US District Judge Carl Nichols, who dismissed a lawsuit challenging the cuts and allowed the administration to proceed with removing thousands of USAID employees both in the US and abroad.
All USAID direct-hire personnel, except for those responsible for mission-critical functions and key leadership roles, will be placed on leave. Notices sent to USAID staff, which were viewed by The Associated Press, confirmed the global scope of the directive. Additionally, the agency will cut approximately 2,000 US-based jobs, significantly reducing its workforce.
This move intensifies the administration’s ongoing effort to downsize and restructure USAID, a federal agency that plays a key role in providing international development assistance.
The cuts come just a few weeks after President Trump signed an executive order targeting USAID funding. In January, USAID Inspector General Paul Martin was dismissed after releasing a report that criticized the proposed cuts to the agency’s programs.
The dismantling of USAID has already led to the closure of the agency’s Washington headquarters and the suspension of several development programs worldwide. Critics, including President Trump and prominent figures like Elon Musk, argue that the agency’s operations are wasteful and promote a liberal political agenda.
