Trump Administration Cuts Jobs at USAID Amid Legal Battles

The Trump administration is axing 2,000 positions at USAID, leaving most remaining employees on leave. This decision follows a court's approval, despite legal opposition, and is part of a broader push to slash foreign aid programs, asserted by Trump and Elon Musk as wasteful.

The Trump administration announced Sunday the elimination of 2,000 jobs at the US Agency for International Development (USAID), placing most remaining employees globally on administrative leave. This move follows a federal judge's recent decision allowing the Trump administration's controversial plan to cut jobs at the agency to proceed.

US District Judge Carl Nichols dismissed attempts to maintain a temporary hold on the government's actions, stemming from a lawsuit filed by USAID employees. Notices to USAID staff members about these changes have been obtained by The Associated Press, indicating that all direct hire personnel, excluding those handling mission-critical tasks, will be on leave by February 23, 2025, at 11:59 pm EST.

The decision is part of President Donald Trump's broader campaign, supported by cost consultant Elon Musk, to cut foreign aid programs deemed ineffective and politically liberal. However, another judge temporarily blocked attempts to freeze foreign aid, calling for the funds to be at least tentatively restored, highlighting ongoing legal friction.