Trump Administration Plans Major USAID Overhaul, To Fire Over 10K Staff

The administration of President Donald Trump intends to retain fewer than 300 employees at the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) out of its total global workforce of over 10,000, reported Reuters on Thursday.

Washington's primary humanitarian aid agency has been targeted for a government reorganisation initiative led by businessman Elon Musk, a close ally of Trump, since the Republican president assumed office on 20 January.

According to the four sources familiar with the plan, only 294 staff members will be permitted to retain their positions, with just 12 remaining in the Africa bureau and eight in the Asia bureau.

"That's outrageous," stated J. Brian Atwood, who led USAID for over six years, emphasising that the mass dismissal of personnel would effectively dismantle an agency that has helped save tens of millions of lives worldwide.

"A lot of people will not survive," warned Atwood, now a senior fellow at Brown University's Watson Institute.

The U.S. Department of State has not responded to requests for comment.

With Trump and Musk, the world's wealthiest man, making false allegations that USAID staff were criminals, dozens of employees have been placed on leave, hundreds of internal contractors have been dismissed, and life-saving programmes worldwide have been left in uncertainty.

On Tuesday, the administration declared that all directly employed USAID staff globally would be placed on leave and thousands of overseas personnel recalled.

Secretary of State Marco Rubio stated that the administration was in the process of identifying and designating programmes that would be exempt from the extensive stop-work orders, which have jeopardised efforts to combat disease, prevent famine, and alleviate poverty worldwide.

USAID's implementing partners are now struggling financially due to stop-work orders issued by the State Department.

USAID merger with state department

The restructuring will significantly impact thousands of employees and their families.

The administration aims to merge USAID with the State Department, currently led by Rubio, whom Trump has appointed as acting USAID administrator. However, it remains uncertain whether the merger can proceed without congressional approval, as USAID was established and funded through legislation that is still in effect.

USAID employed over 10,000 individuals worldwide, with two-thirds based outside the United States, according to the Congressional Research Service (CRS). The agency managed more than $40 billion in fiscal year 2023, the latest year with complete data available.

Sources at USAID reported on Thursday that some employees had already begun receiving termination notices.

According to the USAID website, from midnight on Friday, 7 February, "all USAID direct hire personnel will be placed on administrative leave globally, with the exception of designated personnel responsible for mission-critical functions, core leadership and specially designated programs."

The agency stated that essential personnel expected to continue working would be notified by Thursday at 3 p.m. EST.

In 2023, USAID provided aid to approximately 130 countries, many of which are affected by conflict and extreme poverty. The top aid recipients were Ukraine, followed by Ethiopia, Jordan, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Somalia, Yemen, and Afghanistan, as per the CRS report.