WASHINGTON, April 4 – Termination notices sent by billionaire Elon Musk’s cost-cutting team to staff at the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) were riddled with errors, forcing officials to issue corrected versions to prevent disruptions to pensions and pay, according to multiple sources familiar with the matter.
The Department of Government Efficiency (Doge), led by Musk and tasked with reducing government spending, rushed the process, resulting in significant mistakes, a U.S. official told Reuters. “They did this so quickly that they screwed lots of stuff up,” the official said.
The State Department, which is taking over some of USAID’s functions under the Trump administration’s plan to scale back foreign aid, has not commented on the issue.
Inaccuracies in Service Records and Pay
Errors in the notices included incorrect termination dates, employment start dates, lengths of service, and salary details. Some USAID workers reported receiving up to three separate notices, each containing different inaccuracies.
“My letter was completely wrong,” one USAID worker said. “The only thing correct was my name.”
The mistakes could have serious consequences, potentially reducing severance pay and pensions, sources said. According to the U.S. Office of Personnel Management, federal employees’ pensions are based on their tenure and highest salaries.
“We’ve got people who have served for 25 years, and their notices are showing they served for only three,” the U.S. official said. “It affects their severance. It affects their future ability to retire.”
USAID’s human resources staff—most of whom had been placed on paid administrative leave—have been called back to correct and reissue the faulty notices.
Mass Layoffs and Global Aid Disruptions
The chaotic terminations come as the Trump administration continues its dismantling of USAID, with most staff placed on leave since February, hundreds of contractors fired, and over 5,000 aid programs shut down. The cuts have disrupted global humanitarian efforts affecting millions.
The initial termination notices set April 21 as the final employment date for most personnel and May 30 for those handling USAID’s closure. However, the March 28 letters moved these dates to July 1 or September 2, creating further confusion.
Some employees overseas requested waivers to delay termination due to children still in school or the need for more time to relocate. However, many of these requests were ignored, sources said.
Musk’s Role and Doge’s Controversial Actions
Musk, a major donor to Trump’s 2024 campaign, was assigned to lead Doge in identifying and eliminating government “waste and fraud.” The department claims to have saved U.S. taxpayers $140 billion through layoffs, asset sales, and contract cancellations. However, its reported savings are unverifiable and have previously contained errors.
Musk has acknowledged past mistakes and said Doge will correct them when identified.
The latest termination notices were issued under the supervision of USAID acting administrators Jeremy Lewin, a Doge operative, and Kenneth Jackson. Both report to Secretary of State Marco Rubio, whom Trump appointed as acting USAID administrator.
With USAID’s closure accelerating, affected workers now await corrected termination letters that will determine their financial futures.