A recent announcement by the Trump administration reveals plans to terminate or place nearly all employees of the US Agency for International Development (USAID) on administrative leave. In accordance with the post published on USAID’s website, this instruction, effective from 11:59 pm EST on Sunday, affects all staff members except those involved in mission-critical functions, core leadership, or specially designated programs. This action is set to coincide with the dismissal of approximately 1,600 US-based personnel. Despite concerns over the well-being of vulnerable populations and the potential strain on US soft power, critics of USAID, such as tech tycoon Elon Musk, argue that the agency is plagued by inefficiency, fraud, and a pursuit of liberal ideological agendas antithetical to its core mission. USAID, established in 1961 by President John F. Kennedy, remains the world’s leading humanitarian aid donor, allocating more than half of the $72bn US foreign aid budget in 2023.

Source: https://www.aljazeera.com/economy/2025/2/24/most-usaid-workers-to-be-fired-or-placed-on-leave?traffic_source=rss