USAID Faces 'Mass Layoffs' from 10,000 to 290 Employees... Lawsuit Against Trump Administration

Only Health and Humanitarian Aid Specialists Remain
Union: "Trump Has No Authority to Dismantle"

The Donald Trump administration has begun restructuring the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), planning to retain only 290 out of its total 10,000 employees, according to reports by The New York Times (NYT) and others on the 6th (local time). USAID staff have opposed this move by filing lawsuits against the government.

According to anonymous sources, the 290 employees to remain at USAID are specialized personnel in health and humanitarian aid. USAID officials have submitted to the State Department a list of essential personnel required to carry out important programs involving a larger number of staff.

Protesters are opposing the USAID restructuring in front of the USAID building in Washington DC, USA, on the 3rd (local time). Photo by Reuters Yonhap News

Atul Gawande, a public health expert who served as USAID Deputy Administrator under the Biden administration, stated on the same day via social media that USAID plans to retain 12 employees in Africa, 8 in Latin America and the Caribbean, 21 in the Middle East, and 8 in Asia. He criticized, "Secretary Rubio claims that USAID's life-saving aid will continue, but his team just informed us that the entire agency will be reduced from 14,000 to 294 employees."

On that day, USAID officials were notified that approximately 800 grants and contracts managed by the agency would be canceled. Most USAID employees within the United States have been either laid off or placed on administrative leave, and employees in countries outside the U.S. are expected to receive similar notifications before the close of business on the 7th.

Mako Rubio, Acting Administrator of USAID and U.S. Secretary of State, criticized USAID on the 3rd as a "completely uncooperative agency" that had taken a stance unrelated to national interests for years. However, he stated, "This does not mean ending USAID's programs," and that USAID will be directed by the State Department.

The American Federation of Government Employees (AFGE), the largest federal employee union in the U.S., and the American Foreign Service Association (AFSA) filed a lawsuit against President Trump, Secretary Rubio, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, the State Department, and the Treasury Department, arguing that President Trump does not have the authority to dismantle USAID, which was established by laws passed by Congress.

In their complaint, they stated, "Not a single one of the government's actions to dismantle USAID has been taken with Congressional approval," and "Under federal law, only Congress has the authority to legally dismantle USAID." They also emphasized, "The collapse of USAID has led to humanitarian disasters, including halting the fight against malaria and human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). Three hundred babies who would not have contracted HIV have already been infected, and thousands of girls and women will die during pregnancy and childbirth."

The closure of USAID is being led by Elon Musk, CEO of Tesla and head of the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE). The Trump administration plans to dismantle USAID citing budget efficiency issues and NGO-style culture, and transfer its functions under the State Department.

The Democratic Party and others have criticized this as an illegal action, arguing that arbitrarily abolishing an agency established by law is unlawful.