The Trump administration has announced plans to withdraw nearly all employees of the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) from their global assignments, effectively dismantling the agency’s long-standing mission of addressing global hunger, education, and disease prevention, reports UNB.
USAID employees were informed via email and an online notice, marking another step in the administration’s effort to scale back foreign aid.
The move, influenced by returning Trump-era political appointees and budget-cutting teams led by billionaire Elon Musk, reflects a view that much of USAID’s spending is wasteful.
The directive, set to take effect just before midnight on Friday, gives overseas direct hires 30 days to return home unless deemed essential. Contractors not classified as essential will also be dismissed. The withdrawal had been rumored for days and was considered among several restructuring proposals, including consolidating USAID into the State Department or shutting down smaller missions.
Thousands of USAID employees had already been laid off following Trump’s broad freeze on foreign aid. Despite opposition from Democratic lawmakers, the administration’s budget-cutting agenda has resulted in halted aid projects, workforce reductions, and the closure of USAID’s Washington headquarters.
Reports indicate that agency computer servers were removed, and Musk commented on social media platform X, saying, “Spent the weekend feeding USAID into the wood chipper.”
Bd-pratidin English/Tanvir Raihan
