The Trump administration has announced a sweeping mass layoff of 1,600 U.S.-based employees at the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), with most of the remaining staff placed on paid administrative leave, the agency confirmed on Sunday.
According to the statement on USAID’s website,on Sunday, February 23, 2025, only personnel designated as critical staff, core leadership, or mission-essential will remain active.
The administration has also begun implementing a reduction in force, with affected employees receiving individual notifications. USAID also intends to launch a voluntary return travel program for overseas personnel.
The agency has been a major target of government reform efforts led by the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), headed by Elon Musk. Earlier this month, President Donald Trump accused USAID of “tremendous fraud” and “unprecedented levels of corruption,” calling for the agency’s complete shutdown.
A legal challenge from U.S. labor unions briefly delayed the administrative leave plan, but a federal court ruling on February 21 gave the administration the green light to proceed.
Trump’s broader foreign aid freeze has halted billions in funding for hunger relief, healthcare, and refugee assistance, with exceptions totaling $5.3 billion primarily for security and counter-narcotics programs. USAID, once overseeing $40 billion annually, has received less than $100 million in exemptions since the freeze began.
