The Trump administration has officially started dismissing around 1,600 employees from the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), marking a major shift in the agency’s future.
A notification from USAID confirmed that all direct-hire staff, except those in critical roles, are being placed on administrative leave as the agency begins a large-scale reduction in force.
For employees stationed overseas, USAID is arranging fully funded flights back to the United States. Until their return, they will maintain access to agency systems and diplomatic channels.
The move follows recent comments from entrepreneur and Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) chief Elon Musk, who publicly called USAID a “criminal organization” and claimed that it “needs to die.” Musk also stated that President Donald Trump had agreed to shut the agency down entirely. DOGE later confirmed they were already working on closing USAID.
The dismissals signal a significant restructuring of U.S. international aid efforts, raising questions about the future of American global development programs.