April 2, 2025 11:00 pm
Full News

Trump Administration Puts 60 USAID Officials on Leave Amid Global Aid Freeze

January 27, 2025 – The Trump administration has placed about 60 senior career officials at the US Agency for International Development (USAID) on leave, sources familiar with the matter said, following a sweeping freeze on US aid worldwide. The administration urged USAID staff on January 25 to help transform how Washington allocates aid globally in line with President Trump’s “America First” policy and threatened “disciplinary action” for any staff ignoring its orders.

An internal memo sent to USAID employees on January 27 evening stated that the new leadership identified several actions in the agency that “appeared to be designed to circumvent the President’s Executive Orders and the mandate from the American people.” Acting Administrator Jason Gray said in the memo, reviewed by Reuters, “As a result, we have placed a number of USAID employees on administrative leave with full pay and benefits until further notice while we complete our analysis of these actions.”

The administration’s actions threaten billions of dollars of life-saving aid from the world’s largest single donor. In fiscal year 2023, the US disbursed US$72 billion (S$97.28 billion) in assistance, providing 42 percent of all humanitarian aid tracked by the United Nations in 2024.

The memo did not specify how many people were affected by the decision, but six sources familiar with the matter told Reuters that it was around 57 to 60 people. Those being put on leave comprised career staff in leadership positions of almost all USAID bureaus based in Washington, with roles ranging from energy security to water security, children’s education, and digital technology. Staff in the agency’s general counsel’s office were also targeted.

“People are calling it the Monday afternoon massacre,” said Francisco Bencosme, who was USAID’s China policy lead until earlier in January. “This decision undermines our national security and emboldens our adversaries… Instead of focusing on China, North Korea, or Russia, the Trump Administration is going after public servants who have served multiple administrations – including the first Trump administration.”

USAID did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Politico was first to report that people were put on leave. Officials put on leave said they received an email with a memo on January 27 afternoon informing them they were being placed on excused absence, effective immediately, and no reason was provided. The memo stated they must be available by telephone and email during normal work hours and must remain available to report to work if directed to do so, but were not to enter USAID premises or access USAID systems.

One senior official put on leave said they had sought to help implement the executive orders. “This is a serious dismantling of an entire agency,” the official said.

Since returning to office last week, the Trump administration has reassigned or fired hundreds of workers in several agencies, aiming to fulfill Trump’s vow to remake a federal bureaucracy he believes was hostile to him during his 2017-2021 presidency. Hours after taking office, Trump ordered a 90-day pause in foreign aid to review if it was aligned with his foreign policy priorities. On January 24, the State Department issued a stop-work order worldwide even for existing assistance. A second memo on January 25 made it clear to USAID staff that the pause on foreign aid spending meant “a complete halt.”

The only exceptions are for emergency humanitarian food assistance and for officials returning to their duty stations. Further waivers could be issued but will require substantial justification and are subject to a double-layered approval process that includes a final say from US Secretary of State Marco Rubio.

USAID-funded programs help millions of people around the world fight against HIV/AIDS and provide support for everything from access to clean water, healthcare infrastructure, and children’s health. United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on January 27 called for the United States to consider additional exemptions.

“If this is not reversed, it will wreck US foreign aid… It would permanently weaken USAID,” said Jeremy Konyndyk, a former USAID official who is now president of Refugees International.

Related News
Jury to Hear Opening Statements in Salman Rushdie Attack Trial
Israel Confirms Eight Hostages Set for Release in Ceasefire Deal Are Dead
Israel’s Mossad Chief Heads to Qatar for High-Stakes Hostage Release Talks Amidst Ceasefire Negotiations
Bangladesh Restricts Visa Issuance for Indians at Kolkata Mission
Delta Flight to Honolulu Canceled After Crew Accidentally Deploys Emergency Slide
Nicole Kidman Reveals Unknown Stories About Her Mother
Related Posts
Bangladesh’s suicidal decision to buy Pakistani Junk fighter jets – United People will stop it
Myanmar Junta Announces Ceasefire
Taiwan Sends Warships in Response to China’s Military Drills
Repeated Attacks on US Warship in the Red Sea
Pakistan’s President Asif Ali Zardari Hospitalized
Is Yunus supporting India? Is crusade against India over?
More News

Muhammad Yunus’s Remarks on Trump’s Victory – A Disrespectful Overreach with Potential Diplomatic Fallout

The 2006 Nobel Peace Prize laureate, Professor Muhammad Yunus, is a global icon admired for his pioneering work in microfinance and social business. However, his reaction to Donald Trump’s victory in the 2016 U.S. presidential election, likening it to a “solar eclipse” and describing it as “black days,” reflects a level of emotional hyperbole that […]

Elton John Slams Marijuana Legalization: One of the Greatest Mistakes of All Time

Iconic singer and songwriter Elton John has expressed strong disapproval of marijuana legalization in parts of the United States and Canada, describing it as “one of the greatest mistakes of all time.” His comments came during an interview with Time magazine as part of their Icon of the Year coverage.John, who has been open about […]

Jaishankar Meets Rubio as Deportations of Indian Immigrants from the US Rise

In his first meeting with External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar in Washington DC on January 22, newly appointed US Secretary of State Marco Rubio raised the issue of “irregular immigration.” This comes as the number of Indian immigrants deported from the US has seen a significant increase in recent years. In 2019, around 1,616 Indians […]

UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer Calls for Greater European Defence Contribution

London, March 23 – British Prime Minister Keir Starmer has acknowledged U.S. President Donald Trump’s stance that European nations should take on a larger share of their collective self-defence responsibilities. In an interview with the New York Times, Starmer emphasized the need for a more immediate approach to defence and security.Starmer is working to establish […]

Series of Rocket Attacks on Israel

For the first time since the ceasefire agreement in November, multiple rockets were launched from Lebanon into Israeli territory on Saturday. In response, Israel carried out its most severe airstrikes in Lebanon in the past four months. The Israeli military stated that it targeted several rocket launchers and a command center controlled by Hezbollah, the […]

Malaysia PM Anwar Declines to Comment on Najib’s Alleged House Arrest Proposal

Malaysia’s Prime Minister, Anwar Ibrahim, on Tuesday refrained from addressing questions about a supposed royal decree that might allow jailed former Prime Minister Najib Razak to serve his prison term under house arrest. Najib, who served as Malaysia’s Prime Minister from 2009 to 2018, was sentenced to 12 years in prison in August 2022 after […]

Arsenal Could Not Go Ahead By Two Goals

Arsenal got a strong position in the match with two goals before and after the break. But they couldn’t hold it. Aston Villa scored two goals in the eighth minute. In the end, Mikel Arteta’s team could not make the difference even though there were some great opportunities. The Premier League match was held to […]

Operation Devil Hunt of the Yunus government violates all Human and Legal Rights in Bangladesh

Shamima Choudhury The Interim government of Dr. Muhammad Yunus in order to wipe out the supporters of the past government, the Awami League party leadership launched the “Operation Devil Hunt” 8 days ago and so far 15,601 citizens have been arrested, mostly the Awami League (AL) party activists. This nationwide joint operation of the army, […]

Dhaka and Islamabad Forge Historic Sea Link: Implications for India

Deepanwita Martin The establishment of direct maritime ties between Pakistan and Bangladesh, after decades of diplomatic estrangement, marks a historic moment for the region. However, this growing relationship is raising concerns in India, given its strategic interests in the Chittagong and Mongla ports since the 1970s. First Pakistani Vessel at Chittagong in Five Decades A […]

Sheikh Hasina Urges Awami League to Mobilize and Support Common People Amid Movement Program

Dhaka, Bangladesh – February 4, 2025 – Former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has declared that the interim government led by Muhammad Yunus is on borrowed time and must step down. Labeling the Yunus government as illegal, Hasina asserted, “Every illegal act of this government will be judged. They will be punished for taking away people’s […]