The Trump Admin Just Fired or Placed on Leave All But Fraction of Remaining USAID Workers

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The Trump administration is placing most USAID staff on leave and eliminating up to 1,600 U.S.-based jobs as part of a broader effort to downsize the federal government. A federal judge cleared the way for these cuts despite legal challenges from workers’ unions and contractors.

Key Facts:

  • USAID is reducing its workforce, with 1,600 to 2,000 U.S.-based jobs set for elimination.
  • Most USAID employees worldwide will be placed on administrative leave starting February 23, 2025.
  • The move follows a judge’s decision allowing the administration to proceed with staff reductions.
  • Trump and Elon Musk argue that USAID’s work is wasteful and promotes a left-wing agenda.
  • Some legal challenges remain, including disputes over foreign aid funding freezes.

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The Rest of The Story:

The Trump administration has accelerated its effort to dismantle USAID, cutting thousands of jobs and shutting down aid programs worldwide.

The agency’s Washington, D.C. headquarters has already been closed, and foreign assistance programs have been put on hold.

Deputy Administrator Pete Marocco has stated that around 600 staff members will remain to oversee key functions, including the return of overseas personnel.

The administration argues that USAID’s operations do not justify their high costs and that its foreign aid programs often serve political interests rather than American taxpayers.

Legal challenges remain, with unions and contractors arguing that the administration lacks the constitutional authority to unilaterally dissolve an independent agency.

However, federal courts have so far permitted the cuts to proceed.

Commentary:

For decades, USAID has served as a massive funding pipeline for international NGOs that often lean left and push agendas disconnected from U.S. interests.

It has also been a financial boon for connected politicians and bureaucrats, channeling taxpayer money into foreign programs with questionable oversight.

While defenders claim USAID promotes global stability, its track record shows waste, inefficiency, and ideological activism.

This move is long overdue.

America does not need an international welfare program disguised as diplomacy.

If foreign aid is truly essential for national security, the State Department can handle it directly under tighter scrutiny.

Opponents of the cuts argue that USAID has provided stability in regions critical to U.S. interests.

However, much of this so-called stability has come at great expense, often propping up corrupt foreign governments and subsidizing ineffective programs.

The idea that eliminating USAID will trigger global chaos is exaggerated—plenty of other nations and organizations provide aid, and the U.S. can still engage strategically when needed.

The legal pushback is predictable, as entrenched bureaucracies rarely go quietly.

But the administration has the law on its side, and courts have so far agreed.

Even if legal battles continue, the core functions deemed necessary can be absorbed elsewhere in the government.

This isn’t just about cutting waste—it’s about reducing the federal footprint and ensuring that taxpayer dollars serve Americans first.

The slush fund for global activism is finally being shut down.

The Bottom Line:

The Trump administration is making good on its promise to shrink the federal government, with USAID being one of the biggest targets.

While critics argue this move could harm diplomatic efforts, supporters see it as a long-overdue shutdown of a bloated agency that has funneled billions into wasteful international programs.

Essential aid functions will likely continue under the State Department, but the era of USAID as a global cash machine appears to be ending.

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