USAID Staff Placed on Leave
The United States Agency for International Development (USAID) announced on Tuesday that it is placing employees across the US and overseas on administrative leave, effective midnight, February 7, 2025.
In a statement published on its website, USAID clarified that the directive applies to all direct-hire personnel, except for those in mission-critical roles, core leadership positions, and specific programs.
> “Thank you for your service,” the brief statement read.
The decision aligns with Donald Trump’s ongoing effort to shrink the US government, a move strongly backed by billionaire Elon Musk. However, the measure has triggered outrage among Democrats and human rights activists.
USAID’s Role and Musk’s Criticism
USAID plays a critical role in funding health and emergency programs in over 120 countries, particularly in some of the world’s poorest regions.
The agency is considered a vital tool of US soft power, competing with global rivals like China.
However, Elon Musk, a staunch supporter of Trump, has been a vocal critic of the agency.
> “USAID is a viper’s nest of radical-left Marxists who hate America,” Musk claimed, adding that he personally approved the agency’s downsizing with the former president.
Musk also accused USAID of conducting “rogue CIA operations” and funding bioweapon research, including alleged links to COVID-19—claims he has not substantiated.
Backlash from Critics
The suspension of USAID operations has fueled concerns that the US is abandoning global humanitarian commitments.
Critics argue that the move aligns with long-standing conservative claims that the US spends too much on foreign aid while ignoring domestic issues.
USAID describes its mission as ending extreme poverty and promoting resilient, democratic societies while advancing US security and economic interests.
According to a 2023 Congressional Research Service report, the agency’s top aid recipients included:
Ukraine – Over $16 billion in macroeconomic support
Ethiopia, Jordan, DR Congo, Afghanistan, South Sudan, and Syria
What’s Next for USAID?
USAID was established in 1961 and has an annual budget exceeding $40 billion—a small fraction of the US government’s $7 trillion annual spending.
The US remains the world’s largest provider of foreign aid, according to the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD).
Despite this, Trump’s administration appears determined to reshape or possibly eliminate USAID altogether, raising concerns about the future of US global aid efforts.
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