Trump Administration Puts Nearly 100 USAID Staff on Leave, Moves to Take Over Agency

The Trump administration has placed dozens more employees from the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) on administrative leave, escalating efforts to eliminate the agency’s independence and bring it under the State Department’s control.

Sources familiar with the situation revealed that this move is part of a broader plan to reshape U.S. foreign aid in line with Trump’s “America First” agenda.

Over the weekend, nearly 30 career staff members from USAID’s Legislative and Public Affairs bureau suddenly lost access to their work emails. This brings the total number of senior USAID employees placed on leave in the past week to nearly 100.

In an even more dramatic twist, two senior officials overseeing USAID’s security operations were also placed on leave after they reportedly refused to hand over classified documents to officials from the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE)—a new federal cost-cutting panel led by billionaire Elon Musk. DOGE officials have been making frequent visits to USAID headquarters in Washington, D.C.

Meanwhile, Matt Hopson, USAID’s Chief of Staff and a Trump appointee, has resigned, according to multiple sources. His resignation is believed to be connected to the recent suspensions of the security officials. USAID has yet to comment on Hopson’s departure.

These developments come on the heels of Trump’s decision to freeze nearly all U.S. foreign aid pending a review to ensure spending aligns with his “America First” foreign policy. The aid freeze is already having global repercussions, threatening programs such as:
•    Field hospitals in Thai refugee camps
•    Landmine clearance operations in war-torn regions
•    HIV treatments for millions of people around the world

In addition, initiatives focusing on women’s health in conflict zones, access to clean water, energy security, and anti-corruption efforts are at risk of being defunded.

Rep. Brian Mast, Chair of the U.S. House Foreign Affairs Committee, has voiced support for bringing USAID under the State Department. He stressed the need for “more command and control” and backed the ongoing “purging of people throughout the State Department and other agencies.” When asked on CBS’ Face the Nation whether congressional approval was necessary for this move, Mast didn’t provide a direct answer but emphasized that these changes were crucial to “secure America.”

Meanwhile, Elon Musk has continued to criticize USAID publicly. On Sunday, he took to X (formerly Twitter), calling the agency a “criminal organization” and declaring, “Time for it to die,” though he provided no evidence to support these claims.

The restructuring at USAID is being led by Peter Marocco, who was recently appointed head of the Office of Foreign Assistance at the State Department. Marocco previously served in the Department of Defense during Trump’s first term. The State Department has not commented on his appointment or the sweeping changes underway.

Adding to the uncertainty, USAID’s website has been offline since Saturday, sparking further concerns about the agency’s future. According to Reuters, the National Security Council has been exploring legal options to allow Trump to issue an executive order that would formally end USAID’s independence.

As of now, both the State Department and USAID have declined to comment on the situation. The potential dissolution of USAID threatens to disrupt billions of dollars in life-saving aid and could have long-lasting consequences on global humanitarian efforts.