At least 56 senior officials at the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) were placed on leave on Monday as part of an investigation into an alleged effort to undermine President Donald Trump's orders. Additionally, several hundred contractors were laid off, following Trump's executive order last week that imposed a 90-day pause on most U.S. foreign assistance distributed through the State Department.
The freeze on foreign assistance has led to the halting of thousands of U.S.-funded humanitarian, development, and security programs worldwide, with aid organizations being forced to lay off hundreds of employees due to lack of funds.
According to an internal notice from USAID, the new acting administrator, Jason Gray, identified actions within the agency that appeared to circumvent the President's Executive Orders and the will of the American people. As a result, the employees in question have been placed on administrative leave with full pay and benefits pending further investigation.
The senior officials who were placed on leave were experienced employees who had served in multiple administrations, including the current one. Before their removal, they were working to assist U.S.-funded aid organizations in dealing with the funding freeze and seeking waivers to continue critical activities such as providing clean water to displaced populations in Sudan and monitoring for bird flu globally.
Secretary of State Marco Rubio has exempted emergency food programs and military aid to Israel and Egypt from the foreign assistance freeze. The Trump administration and GOP lawmakers are conducting a review of each foreign assistance program to assess its alignment with U.S. interests and to eliminate any programs deemed wasteful or promoting liberal social engineering.
This development at USAID comes amidst broader efforts by the current administration to reassess and potentially reshape U.S. foreign aid policies. The situation is evolving, and further updates are expected as the investigation progresses.
