The Trump administration is planning to reduce the number of staff at the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) from over 10,000 to fewer than 300, according to a report by The New York Times.
The report, released on Thursday, states that the remaining staff will include experts in health and humanitarian aid. Three unnamed sources familiar with the situation confirmed this information.
Two unions representing USAID workers have filed a lawsuit against Trump and his government to stop the job cuts. The lawsuit argues that shutting down the agency without Congress’s approval is illegal.
Meanwhile, USAID officials have been informed that around 800 contracts and projects managed by the agency will be canceled. Other US media, including The Washington Post, have also reported on the job reductions.
On Tuesday, USAID announced that its employees, both in the US and worldwide, have been placed on administrative leave while the agency recalls staff from international assignments.
Trump, along with billionaire Elon Musk, has been pushing to reduce the size of the US government. This decision has led to strong criticism from Democrats and human rights groups.
USAID provides health and emergency assistance to about 120 countries, including some of the world’s poorest nations. It is considered an important tool for US influence, especially in competition with China, where Musk has major business interests.
Musk has described USAID as a “viper’s nest of radical-left marxists who hate America,” while Trump recently called it “bunch of radical lunatics.”
Several aid organizations have condemned the decision, warning that it has already led to the shutdown of important programmes, including those focused on HIV prevention and treatment.
