The US Agency for International Development (USAID) is cutting about 2,000 jobs and placing most remaining full-time employees on administrative leave, marking a major workforce reduction at the federal agency responsible for global humanitarian aid.
A staff-wide email, sent at 2:42 p.m. ET on Sunday, confirmed that only mission-critical personnel, senior leadership, and essential program staff would remain active. The cuts take effect at 11:59 p.m. ET Sunday (5:59 a.m. WAT Monday), with affected workers receiving official notices the same day.
“This Reduction-in-Force impacts thousands of USAID employees in the U.S. and beyond,” the email read. By 5 p.m. ET, those deemed essential will be notified.
The layoffs come after a federal judge lifted an injunction on Friday, allowing the Trump administration to proceed with its restructuring of the agency. The decision, part of a broader government overhaul, clears the way for deep personnel reductions that could disrupt USAID’s disaster response and development programs worldwide.
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“This decision has profound implications for America’s role in humanitarian aid,” said a USAID senior official, speaking anonymously. “Thousands of people depend on these programs. The ripple effects will be felt globally.”
The impact is already evident. Over the weekend, staff in USAID’s Bureau for Humanitarian Assistance, which leads emergency response efforts, were among the first to be affected. Critics argue the cuts could weaken U.S. global influence and slow disaster response times.
