Key points from the latest developments regarding USAID:

• The Trump administration confirmed the elimination of 2,000 positions at the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), coupled with placing nearly all remaining staff on administrative leave worldwide.
• This decision follows a federal ruling allowing these major workforce reductions as part of a broader initiative to slash the size and operations of federal agencies.
• Staff who are not designated as mission-critical will be affected, further exacerbating the disruption of aid programs worldwide.

On February 23, 2025, the Trump administration announced significant cuts to the U.S. Agency for International Development, declaring that 2,000 positions would be eliminated alongside the placement of almost all remaining staff members on administrative leave. This move marks a pivotal point in a month-long campaign orchestrated by President Donald Trump and his cost-cutting ally Elon Musk to dismantle the six-decade-old overseas aid agency. The decision comes in the wake of a federal court ruling from U.S. District Judge Carl Nichols, who permitted the administration to proceed with its plans despite lawsuits from affected employees seeking to block the layoffs.

According to notices sent to USAID staff, the administrative leave for most employees will be effective as of 11:59 p.m. EST on Sunday. With the exception of designated personnel responsible for mission-critical functions and core leadership, all direct hire personnel will be impacted. Reports indicate that as part of this process, workers in the USA who receive termination letters may face challenges in claiming unemployment benefits due to the non-specific nature of these notices.

The administration's initiatives have faced significant backlash from within the agency and among advocacy groups. Critics argue that this strategic dismantling not only disrupts essential aid and development programs but also contradicts decades of U.S. foreign policy that emphasizes assistance as a tool for securing national interests and alliances.

In a twist, a judge in a separate lawsuit has placed a temporary restraining order on the freeze of foreign aid, aligning with concerns that the abrupt reduction of USAID’s capacity could endanger ongoing humanitarian responses globally. These legal challenges contend that the Trump administration lacks the authority to terminate or restructure an independent agency or its congressionally funded programs without legislative approval.

As this situation develops, many USAID workers and contract employees are grappling with the fallout from the layoffs, with some expressing fear over the implications for ongoing humanitarian missions. Reports have noted that the administration is committed to ensuring the safety of overseas personnel, stating they will retain access to agency resources even after being placed on leave. Concerns remain, however, about the logistics surrounding their judicially mandated return to the U.S. within 30 days.

This restructuring plan, which threatens the operational integrity of the agency, further fuels discussions around the implications of such a significant reduction in U.S. foreign assistance capability.

For more detailed coverage, visit SCMP, India Times, LA Times, VOA News, Newsweek, and HuffPost.