The US Foreign Aid Agency could see that its employees were reduced from about 10,000 to less than 300 worldwide, as the Trump administration is making major redundancies at government spending.
All, except a handful of main staff, have already been placed on administrative leave at midnight on Friday, including thousands based abroad. An online notice is said to be preparing a trip plan for returning and terminating insignificant contractors.
A union representing employees – who is involved in a legal challenge to the plan, ”BBC News CBS News told US partner that only 294 employees are considered essential.
Trump's interruptions to USAID – supported by its incision advisor Elon Musk – supported the global aid system, with hundreds of programs already frozen in countries around the world.
His team accuses USAID of losing taxpayers' money and has not been brought in line with the political priorities of America First.
Choices show skepticism among many Americans for foreign help. Ap-Norc survey of March 2023 suggests that nine in 10 Republicans believe the country has overcome.
The United States is the largest lonely humanitarian aid provider around the world. He has bases in more than 60 countries and works in dozens of others, with much of his work done by his performers.
The reported reduction plan, which will leave less than 300 employees, was described as “outrageous” by former USAID chief Brian Atwood. Speaking to the Reuters Agency, he suggested that this move could kill an agency that saved millions of lives.
The American Foreign Affairs Association (AFSA), which suggested that only 294 employees were on the “essential” list, came together with another employment group, the US Federation of Civil Servants (AFGE) to bring a law case.
In addition to Trump, the lawsuit is striving for the US State Department, USAID, the Ministry of Finance, the Secretary of State and the Minister of Finance Scott Bensten.
The trial claims that the president violates the US constitution and the federal law by trying to dismantle the agency. “None of the defendants' actions to dismantle USAID has been taken in accordance with Congress permission,” the statement said.
“And in accordance with the Federal Statute, Congress is the only entity that can legally dismantle the agency.”
He calls for the appointment of an independent acting director of USAID, to reopen USAID buildings to employees, to reinstate the USAID website in order to restore grants and contracts, and to cancel the mandatory notifications for the evacuation of the staff.
He asks the judge to immediately suspend the implementation of the USAID “gutting” plan, which the judicial process notes that it is led by Elon Musk because of the urgent need to resume to support programs.
“These actions have generated a global humanitarian crisis, sharply stopping the decisive work of employees, Benestata and USAID contractors. They have cost thousands of American jobs. And they impeded the interests of US national security,” the lawsuit said.
Thousands of USAID workers are expecting to be put on administrative leave from Friday night. A message posted on the Agency's website states that this will apply to all direct rental staff from 23:59 EST (04:59 GMT).
On Wednesday, Rubio defended Trump's moves against USAID, saying about 200 agencies workers in Guatemala that the US does not plan to stop allocating foreign countries. But he said the programs should be aligned with US priorities.
“The United States is not moving away from foreign help,” said the best diplomat in America. “It's not.
“We will continue to provide foreign assistance and participate in programs, but we must be programs that we can protect.”
“These must be programs that we can explain. We must be programs that we can justify. Otherwise we are making a threatening foreign assistance.”