In a dramatic shake-up of America’s international development efforts, thousands of aid workers find themselves suddenly sidelined as the Trump administration implements sweeping cuts at USAID. The move, affecting programs and personnel worldwide, marks an unprecedented reduction in U.S. foreign assistance operations that has sent shockwaves through the international development community.
Major staffing overhaul at USAID takes effect
The U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) is eliminating 2,000 positions and placing most remaining staff worldwide on administrative leave, according to official notices sent to employees and reviewed by The Associated Press. This dramatic reduction takes effect as of “11:59 p.m. EST on Sunday, February 23, 2025,” with only select personnel responsible for “mission-critical functions, core leadership and/or specially designated programs” remaining active.
The staffing cuts gained legal clearance after U.S. District Judge Carl Nichols declined to extend a temporary stay on the administration’s plans, despite appeals from affected employees who had filed a lawsuit challenging the measures.
Impact on contractors and ongoing programs
Beyond the direct staff reductions, hundreds of USAID contractors received generic termination notices over the weekend. The impersonal nature of these form letters, which omitted individual names and positions, has raised concerns about affected workers’ ability to claim unemployment benefits.
The staffing cuts are part of a broader month-long campaign targeting the agency, which has already resulted in the closure of USAID’s Washington headquarters and the shutdown of thousands of aid and development programs globally. The administration, led by President Donald Trump and supported by Elon Musk, has characterized these programs as wasteful and promoting a liberal agenda.
Legal challenges continue
While one court allowed the staffing reductions to proceed, a separate legal challenge has yielded different results. In a second lawsuit related to USAID’s dismantling, another judge has temporarily blocked the freeze on foreign assistance. The court found that the administration had continued withholding aid despite orders to the contrary and must restore funding to global programs, at least temporarily.
