The Trump administration is cutting 1,600 USAID personnel based in the United States while placing nearly all direct hires worldwide on administrative leave by midnight Sunday.
The notice came less than 48 hours after a federal judge cleared the way for USAID’s continued dismantling, lifting a temporary restraining order that had previously blocked the Trump administration from placing staff on administrative leave.
“As of 11:59 p.m. EST on Sunday, February 23, all USAID direct hire personnel, with the exception of designated personnel responsible for mission-critical functions, core leadership and/or specially designated programs, will be placed on administrative leave globally,” stated an internal email, which was sent to USAID staff Sunday before the notice was posted on the USAID.gov website.
About the author
Elissa Miolene
Elissa Miolene reports on USAID and the U.S. government at Devex. She previously covered education at The San Jose Mercury News, and has written for outlets like The Wall Street Journal, San Francisco Chronicle, Washingtonian magazine, among others. Before shifting to journalism, Elissa led communications for humanitarian agencies in the United States, East Africa, and South Asia.
