WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump on Friday called for the immediate closure of the US Agency for International Development (USAID), just hours before most of its staff were set to be placed on administrative leave or laid off, in what appears to be a decisive move toward dismantling the government’s primary provider of global humanitarian and development aid.
“CLOSE IT DOWN!” Trump wrote on Truth Social, repeating accusations of rampant corruption and fraud within the agency. He has previously described USAID as being “run by radical lunatics.”
The call for closure coincides with a sweeping suspension of agency personnel, as the vast majority of USAID’s direct hires were set to be placed on indefinite administrative leave, while contractors were to be let go entirely.
A notice posted to the USAID website on Tuesday had informed foreign service officers that the agency would cover their return home within 30 days, with extensions granted on a case-by-case basis.
However, in an overnight revision, the agency clarified that foreign service officers could choose to remain abroad—at their own expense.
A newly added frequently asked questions section on the agency’s website included just one entry, stating that officers could stay overseas if they were willing to pay for their own travel costs. It remained unclear whether employees on leave would continue to receive cost-of-living subsidies if they chose to remain abroad.
The sudden changes have sown panic among aid workers, many of whom now face losing their jobs and being forced to uproot their families with little notice.
Only a small number of USAID officials were informed this week that they had been designated as “essential personnel” and would be required to continue working.
It was not immediately clear how many workers had been classified as essential or what specific roles they would continue to perform as the agency faces a potential shutdown.
