Thousands of U.S. Agency for International Development workers who were laid off or placed on leave as part of restructuring efforts under the Trump administration are being given a brief window Thursday and Friday to clear out their workspaces.
USAID placed 4,080 staffers who work across the globe on leave Monday. That was joined by a “reduction in force” that will affect another 1,600 employees, a State Department spokesman said in an emailed response to questions.
USAID has been a major focus of efforts by President Donald Trump and the Department of Government Efficiency, a project led by Trump adviser Elon Musk, to reduce the size of the federal government, leaving only a small fraction of its employees on the job.
Trump and Musk have acted quickly to restructure the foreign aid agency, citing concerns that its programs do not align with the president’s agenda and questioning its efficiency. This move is notable because it has not involved Congress, which authorized and funds the agency.
A report from the Congressional Research Service earlier this month stated that congressional authorization is required “to abolish, move, or consolidate USAID,” but Republican majorities in the House and Senate have not opposed the administration’s actions. The administration now indicates it will reduce USAID’s foreign aid contracts by more than 90% and decrease U.S. assistance abroad by $60 billion
It’s unclear how many of the more than 5,600 USAID employees who have been fired or placed on leave work at the agency’s headquarters building in Washington. A notice on the agency’s website said staff at other locations will have the chance to collect their personal belongings at a later date.