The Trump administration has announced the drastic reduction of personnel at the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID). In a sweeping decision, thousands of positions are being eliminated, leaving only a fraction of staff to continue operations. The announcement, made just before midnight on February 23, 2025, indicates a significant shift in the United States’ approach to foreign aid and international development.

Details of the Layoffs

According to reports from the Associated Press, the administration plans to cut 1,600 positions at USAID. This move follows a series of notifications sent to agency employees, indicating that as of 11:59 p.m. EST, all direct hire personnel, with a few exceptions, will be placed on administrative leave.

The notices detail that only a skeleton crew, comprising fewer than 300 staff members from the current roster of approximately 8,000 contractors and direct hires, will remain on active duty. These remaining employees, along with an unknown number of locally hired international staff, are expected to manage critical humanitarian programs that the administration has chosen to retain.

Staff Reactions

The mood among departing USAID staff was a mixture of solemnity and defiance as they cleared their offices. Reports indicate that several employees left their Washington, D.C. offices carrying boxes filled with personal belongings, some of which were adorned with poignant messages aimed at President Trump.

“We are abandoning the world,” read one message scrawled on a box by a staffer with a bittersweet smile.

In contrast, others maintained a lighter demeanor, with one staff member declaring, “You can take the humanitarians out of USAID, but you can’t take the humanity out of the humanitarians,” symbolizing a commitment to their work despite the tumultuous circumstances.

Legal Challenges and Court Rulings

Prior to the layoffs, many employees were informed of their impending dismissals weeks in advance. On the same day that staffers were departing, U.S. District Judge Carl Nichols lifted a temporary restraining order that had been placed on the mass layoffs. The court had initially ruled in favor of government employee unions who sought to halt the reductions, but ultimately did not issue a long-term order to prevent the layoffs from moving forward.

Administration’s Foreign Aid Strategy

This restructuring of USAID comes in the wake of President Trump’s controversial decision to impose a 90-day pause on foreign aid, a move that has drawn criticism from various quarters. Furthermore, Secretary of State Marco Rubio has been appointed as the acting director of USAID, a role which places additional scrutiny on the agency’s future operations.

Scrutiny of USAID Spending

The Trump administration’s cuts to USAID come amid ongoing criticism from the Elon Musk-led Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), which has flagged alleged wasteful spending within the agency. Notable examples of expenditures deemed excessive include funding of million for a localized version of Sesame Street in Iraq and projects supporting diversity and inclusion initiatives abroad.

Senator Joni Ernst, Chairwoman of the Senate DOGE Caucus, has publicly criticized some of the agency’s past programs. Her list includes examples of federal funds allocated to questionable projects, stirring debate about the efficacy and oversight of USAID.

Additional concerns have been raised regarding a reported 0,000 earmarked for a “Gaza-based terror charity” known as the Bayader Association and another .5 million set aside to promote diversity in Serbia’s workplace.