WASHINGTON – The US administration of President Donald Trump plans to slash the staff members of the US Agency for International Development (USAID) from more than 10,000 to fewer than 300, according to Xinhua, citing US media reports on Thursday.
As of midnight on Friday, all USAID direct hire personnel, except designated personnel, will be placed on administrative leave globally, reported multiple US media outlets.
It remains unclear whether this sweeping reduction will be permanent or temporary.
Meanwhile, the largest US government workers’ union and an association of foreign service professionals have sued the Trump administration over the move, according to the reports.
On Monday, the foreign-aid organisation closed its headquarters to agency personnel following budget-cutting measures implemented by Elon Musk’s newly established Department of Government Efficiency. – February 7, 2025