The Trump administration has initiated a significant reduction in staff at the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), eliminating over 1,600 positions and placing the majority of remaining employees on administrative leave. This decision, which takes effect just before midnight on February 23, 2025, has raised concerns about the future of U.S. foreign aid and humanitarian efforts globally.
According to notices sent to USAID employees, all direct hire personnel, except for those involved in mission-critical functions and core leadership, will be placed on leave. This move reduces the agency’s workforce from approximately 8,000 to fewer than 300 remaining staff members. Additionally, the fate of around 5,000 locally hired international staff remains uncertain, as they will be tasked with managing a limited number of programs deemed essential by the administration.
Critics of the cuts, including Rep. Darrell Issa, a member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, have pointed to what they describe as wasteful spending by USAID. Issa argues that the agency has not justified its expenditures adequately, stating, "’Nobody’ could argue all USAID money was ‘well spent.’" This sentiment reflects a broader critique of the agency, which has faced scrutiny for its funding decisions, including a controversial $20 million investment in a Sesame Street program in Iraq.
The layoffs come in the wake of a 90-day pause on foreign aid imposed by the Trump administration. Following this pause, Secretary of State Marco Rubio has been appointed as the acting director of USAID, signaling a shift in the agency’s leadership and priorities.
The decision to downsize USAID has sparked protests among former employees, who expressed their discontent as they left their offices in Washington, D.C. Many carried boxes with messages directed at the administration, including one that read, "We are abandoning the world." Another staffer’s box bore a more optimistic message, asserting, "You can take the humanitarians out of USAID but you can’t take the humanity out of the humanitarians."
As the cuts take effect, the agency will continue to run a handful of life-saving programs, but the long-term implications of such drastic staffing reductions remain unclear. The actions taken by the Trump administration have raised alarms about the future of U.S. humanitarian aid and the ability of the remaining staff to carry out their responsibilities effectively.
The controversy surrounding USAID’s spending and the recent layoffs highlights ongoing debates about the role of foreign aid in American foreign policy, as well as the effectiveness and accountability of government agencies tasked with international development. As the situation unfolds, many are left questioning the future of U.S. engagement in global humanitarian efforts.