Notices will also be dispatched to U.S. diplomats and civil servants assigned to international roles within the leading U.S. foreign aid agency, which has been operational for over 60 years.
Trump has made unsubstantiated claims that the agency is plagued by fraud and is managed by “radical left lunatics,” while Musk inaccurately labeled it a “criminal” organization.
Thousands of USAID employees were placed on administrative leave, receiving layoff notifications on Friday, alongside the termination of hundreds of contractors and the cancellation of over 5,000 programs, severely impacting global humanitarian aid efforts that millions rely on.
See more: Netanyahu Retracts the Nomination of a Candidate for the Intelligence Agency.
The non-partisan Congressional Research Service reports that USAID operates in more than 60 countries, primarily directing its funding towards humanitarian assistance and health initiatives.
Key recipients of aid include war-affected Ukraine, the Democratic Republic of Congo, U.S. ally Jordan, as well as the Israeli-occupied West Bank and the conflict-ridden Gaza Strip.
A summary of a conference call, shared by one regional bureau and reviewed by Reuters, confirmed the termination of all locally hired foreign nationals and American diplomats and civil servants working with USAID abroad.
The summary indicated that over 600 U.S. diplomats are currently seconded to USAID overseas, but did not specify the number of U.S. civil service members affected. Most terminations are expected in July, coinciding with plans to cease “all programmatic work.”
“Every position is being eliminated; 100 percent of the agency is undergoing a Reduction in Force (RIF),” the summary stated, advising personnel that no one would be retained and encouraging them to “focus on ensuring they receive the appropriate benefits.”
