USAID workers who have been terminated or placed on administrative leave have been slowly leaving the headquarters in Washington, DC, to rounds of applause from supporters after collecting their belongings from their workspaces.
Impacted workers were notified that they could retrieve their items during specific hours in 15-minute increments on Thursday and Friday. Staff members have been observed carrying boxes and bags with their personal belongings.
One of the affected staffers is Juliane Alfen, a 25-year-old participant in the Presidential Management Fellows Program at USAID. She had completed one and a half years of the two-year program before it was terminated by President Donald Trump through an executive order last week.
Alfen expressed her feelings about the process, stating that it has been heartbreaking. She mentioned the emotional impact of seeing pictures of projects, such as providing vaccines to children and offering food aid, being taken down. She emphasized the importance of such work and expressed her distress at how it was being treated.
Alfen also highlighted the lack of communication and support for the affected staff, both domestically and overseas. She described the sudden nature of the changes, from being locked out of the building to being placed on administrative leave, as very challenging.
Dozens of supporters have gathered at various exits and entrances of the USAID headquarters at the Ronald Reagan Building in Washington, DC, to show appreciation for the departing workers. They have brought flowers, donuts, and snacks, and are displaying signs with messages like “Thank you for your service” and “Your aid and your mission mattered.”
Former USAID administrators, including Samantha Power and Rajiv Shah, have visited to offer their support to the affected employees.
