Nearly all direct hires worldwide will be placed on administrative leave later this week, the U.S. Agency for International Development announced Tuesday night.
Following days of attacks by the Trump administration, including by President Donald Trump himself, the news was made on the organization’s website.
According to the USAID release, all USAID direct hire employees worldwide will be placed on administrative leave starting soon before midnight on Friday, with the exception of those assigned to mission-critical tasks, core leadership, and specially designated programs.
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By 3 p.m., those who are anticipated to continue working will be informed. The administration is developing a mechanism to bring foreign workers back to the United States if contracts are not deemed necessary, the announcement stated on Thursday.
“Thank you for your service” concludes it.
Trump signed an executive order halting foreign aid payments for at least 90 days on his first day in office. Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced he was taking over the agency after its headquarters were abruptly closed on Monday. He then named State Department staffer Pete Marocco to lead the organization.
Many Democratic politicians have voiced their outrage, claiming that it is illegal and that USAID was created by a bill that Congress passed. Some Republicans have been vocal in their condemnation.
At a fraction of the total federal budget, USAID sends billions of dollars in humanitarian help abroad, which advocates say is a vital lifeline to over 100 countries.
In 1961, following the passage of the Foreign Assistance Act by Congress, President John F. Kennedy signed an executive order creating USAID. The establishment of an entity to oversee foreign aid was mandated by that statute.
The Foreign Affairs Reform and Restructuring Act of 1998 was approved by Congress and signed into law by Bill Clinton during his presidency, establishing USAID as a separate organization from the State Department.
According to a report released this month by the Congressional Research Service, Trump lacks the power to eliminate USAID and that any such action would need the approval of Congress.
According to the Congressional Research Service, USAID distributed about $40 billion in total funding to roughly 130 countries in fiscal year 2023. Among the top receivers were Somalia, Ethiopia, Jordan, and Congo, as well as Ukraine, which is engaged in a catastrophic war following Russia’s invasion.