Workers at the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) were granted brief access to their Washington headquarters on Thursday to collect their personal
belongings and vacate their desks, just a day after the Trump administration announced a drastic cut to the agency’s aid contracts, eliminating over 90% of its funding.
In a solemn scene, volunteers arrived with boxes for employees to pack their possessions as laid-off workers gathered for a sendoff. The mass layoffs followed President Donald Trump’s executive order in January to pause all foreign aid for 90 days, pending a comprehensive review aimed at aligning USAID-funded projects with his "America First" agenda.
The decision sent shockwaves through the agency, disrupting global humanitarian efforts, halting the delivery of critical food and medical aid, and putting thousands of employees on indefinite leave. Many of these workers are not expected to return.
USAID’s Future in Question
Trump has tasked billionaire and close adviser Elon Musk with dismantling USAID as part of a broader initiative to shrink the federal government, citing concerns over wasteful spending and financial mismanagement. The move effectively halted the agency’s operations worldwide, leaving countless international aid programs in limbo.
As workers cleared out their offices, dozens of supporters gathered outside to offer their encouragement. Among them was an eight-year-old girl holding a handmade sign that read, “I’m proud of you, Daddy,” as her father packed up his office after three decades with USAID. Her mother, standing nearby, expressed concerns over potential retribution for speaking out.
“We are still processing being labeled as criminals after serving our country for 30 years,” she said.
Angela Stephens, a 61-year-old USAID employee who worked in the communications department since 2008, described the moment as heartbreaking.
“There’s always change with a new administration, but we never expected the complete dissolution of our agency,” she said. “I don’t know what’s next.”
Sweeping Cuts to Foreign Aid
On Wednesday, a State Department spokesperson confirmed that USAID had reviewed 6,200 multi-year contracts and determined that nearly 5,800—valued at $54 billion—would be eliminated, amounting to a 92% reduction in funding.
The Trump administration rushed to finalize the review following a federal court ruling ordering the release of frozen aid funds. However, that decision was temporarily halted by U.S. Supreme Court Chief Justice John Roberts late Wednesday.
Despite assurances that essential programs—including food assistance and HIV treatment—would continue, major U.S.-funded HIV/AIDS programs in South Africa were informed that their funding would not be restored. Additionally, a global nonprofit focused on malaria and maternal health saw most of its contracts canceled.
Documents reviewed by Reuters also confirmed that UNAIDS, the United Nations agency combatting HIV and AIDS, had its USAID contract terminated, further deepening concerns over the global impact of the cuts.
With USAID now a shadow of its former self, thousands of aid workers face an uncertain future, and the long-term consequences of these decisions remain unclear. Photo by U.S. Government, Wikimedia commons.