Trump administration firing 2,000 USAID workers and putting thousands of others on leave

Move escalates government assault on agency that has closed its Washington headquarters, shut down thousands of US aid programmes worldwide

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A USAID worker puts her personal belongings down to greet supporters outside the USAID’s Bureau of Humanitarian Affairs office in Washington on Friday. On Sunday, the US government said it is eliminating 2,000 USAID posts. Photo: AP

Published: 5:54am, 24 Feb 2025

The Trump administration said on Sunday that it is eliminating 2,000 posts at the US Agency for International Development and placing all but a fraction of others worldwide on leave.

It comes after a federal judge allowed the administration to move forward with pulling thousands of USAID staff off the job in the United States and around the world. US District Judge Carl Nichols rejected pleas to keep his temporary stay on the government’s plan in a lawsuit from employees.

The notices were sent to USAID workers and viewed by Associated Press.

“As of 11.59pm 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 programmes, will be placed on administrative leave globally,” the notices say.

The move escalates a month-long administration assault on the agency that has closed its headquarters in Washington and shut down thousands of US aid and development programmes worldwide following an effort to freeze foreign help. US President Donald Trump and his chief cost-cutter, Elon Musk, contend the aid and development work is wasteful and furthers a liberal agenda.

The notices of firings and leaves come on top of hundreds of USAID contractors receiving no-name form letters of termination over the weekend, according to copies that Associated Press viewed.

Trump administration firing 2,000 USAID workers and putting thousands of others on leave

.css-1c6uqr6{color:inherit;font-weight:inherit;font-size:inherit;font-family:inherit;line-height:inherit;overflow-wrap:break-word;}Move escalates government assault on agency that has closed its Washington headquarters, shut down thousands of US aid programmes worldwide

Move escalates government assault on agency that has closed its Washington headquarters, shut down thousands of US aid programmes worldwide