The United States Agency for International Development (USAID) has announced that it is placing its staff—both domestic and global—on administrative leave, marking a dramatic shift in the Trump administration’s efforts to downsize the federal government.
The agency’s website, which went offline over the weekend, reappeared on Tuesday with a statement confirming that the leave will take effect just before midnight on February 7. The suspension applies to all USAID direct-hire personnel, except those responsible for mission-critical functions and select leadership roles.
The move is part of President Donald Trump’s broader push to reduce government agencies, a campaign that billionaire Elon Musk has strongly backed. Musk, a vocal critic of USAID, has accused the agency—without evidence—of engaging in rogue CIA work and claimed it has funded controversial projects, including bioweapon research. He has also called USAID a “viper’s nest of radical-left Marxists who hate America” and vowed to shut it down.

USAID plays a significant role in global humanitarian efforts, funding health, emergency relief, and development programs across 120 countries. The agency is a key player in US foreign policy and soft power, particularly in regions where the United States competes for influence with rivals like China.
As of 2023, top recipients of USAID funding included Ukraine, Ethiopia, and Jordan, with the agency providing over $16 billion in economic support to Ukraine alone. Despite its $40 billion budget, USAID’s funding remains a small fraction of the federal government’s nearly $7 trillion annual spending.
The decision to place staff on leave has sparked outrage among Democrats and human rights advocates, who see it as part of a broader assault on international aid and diplomacy. The administration, however, argues that cutting back on USAID aligns with conservative priorities of reducing foreign aid and focusing resources on domestic issues.