The United States International Development Agency (USAID) announced plans to place its global employees on administrative leave and recall employees in overseas positions.
The furlough will begin before midnight on February 7, 2025, the United States Agency for International Development said in a statement. The agency clarified that exceptions will be provided to those involved in mission-critical functions, core leaders and specially designated programs.
The decision was part of a radical initiative by former President Donald Trump to reduce the size of the U.S. government, a move strongly supported by his billionaire ally Elon Musk. The plan has sparked anger among Democrats and human rights advocates.
USAID is an important part of U.S. foreign policy, funding health and emergency programs in more than 120 countries and often serves some of the poorest areas in the world. Its activities are widely regarded as crucial to the U.S. soft strategy, especially in opposing the influence of competitors like China, where Musk has a great business interest.
Musk, a voice critic of the agency, called the U.S. International Development “the venomous snake nest of radical Marxists who hate America” and vowed to remove it. He also accused the agency of having no evidence, engaged in “rogue CIA work” and funding Bioweapon Research funding, including Covid-19, which he claimed “killed millions of people.”
Tesla and SpaceX CEO hold lucrative government contracts and are a major financial supporter of the Trump campaign, which he said was personally cleared with the former president.
The decision on the USDA is consistent with the long-term narrative of conservative and liberal factions within the Republican Party, which argues that while ignoring domestic issues, U.S. resources are wasted on foreign aid.
The United States Agency for International Development (USAID) describes its mission as “eliminating extreme poverty and promoting resilient democratic societies while promoting our security and prosperity.”
According to the Congressional Research Services, the agency’s largest aid recipients include Ukraine, Ethiopia and Jordan in 2023. Other beneficiaries include Afghanistan, South Sudan, Syria and the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Ukraine, in particular, has received more than $16 billion in macroeconomic support in the ongoing conflict.
The US Agency for International Development’s annual budget exceeds $40 billion, accounting for a small part of the U.S. government’s nearly $7 trillion spending. Nevertheless, as noted by the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), the United States remains the largest provider of official development assistance in the world.
The move to reduce the U.S. Agency for International Development’s actions marks a major shift in U.S. foreign policy and raises concerns about its impact on global development and humanitarian efforts.
