Nearly all U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) staff will be placed on leave starting Friday night, the agency announced on its website Tuesday.
Earlier in the day, USAID had ordered all overseas missions to shut down, with staff recalled by Friday, multiple sources confirmed to CBS News.
According to the statement, all “direct-hire personnel” will be placed on leave, except those performing “mission-critical functions, core leadership, and specially designated programs.”
USAID leadership will notify exempted employees by 3 p.m. ET on Thursday, with additional guidance forthcoming on how to request an exception.
The agency is coordinating with the State Department to arrange and fund return travel within 30 days for USAID personnel stationed abroad.
The statement also notes that personal service contractor (PSC) and independent service contractor (ISC) contracts deemed inessential will be terminated.
USAID will consider exceptions and travel extensions on a “case-by-case” basis for those facing personal or family hardships, mobility issues, or safety concerns.
On Tuesday night, multiple USAID staffers at the agency’s D.C. headquarters informed CBS News they had received separate emails placing them on paid administrative leave. Sources said the notifications had likely been sent to a vast majority of headquarters employees.
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A copy of the memo obtained by CBS News instructs employees to remain “available” via phone and email during business hours but prohibits them from entering USAID buildings.
Meanwhile, newly appointed Deputy Administrator Pete Marocco met with State Department leadership on Tuesday, instructing them to ensure all USAID employees leave their respective countries by Friday.
If not, Marocco reportedly stated that the U.S. military would handle the evacuations, according to two sources familiar with the matter.
USAID, which employs over 10,000 people—about two-thirds of whom serve overseas—operates more than 60 country and regional missions, according to a Congressional Research Service report. Around 1,400 employees work at the agency’s D.C. headquarters.
USAID provides humanitarian aid to over 100 countries, including disaster relief, medical assistance, and emergency food programs.
All USAID buildings in the Washington, D.C., area remain closed this week, an email shared with CBS News revealed. The closures extend to facilities in Springfield, Virginia, and Leesburg, Virginia.
The Trump administration has targeted USAID as part of a broader effort to shrink the federal government, led by President Trump and his allies, including billionaire Elon Musk, head of the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE).
USAID’s future remains uncertain. Established in 1961 to combat poverty, promote democracy, and protect human rights and global health, the agency now faces potential elimination. Musk has publicly called for its shutdown, claiming it is “beyond repair.”
When asked Tuesday whether he intended to dismantle USAID, Trump responded, “It sounds like it.” He also praised Musk’s scrutiny of the agency, saying, “Look at all the fraud that he’s found,” and alleging that funding has been misallocated to “groups that shouldn’t deserve any money.”
Dr. Atul Gawande, former USAID Global Health director, warned that dismantling the agency would be “dangerous for the country.”
“We’re talking about disaster relief workers, health workers—people protecting America around the world,” Gawande told CBS News. “Twenty million people in the global HIV program, who rely on lifesaving medication, will be left without it. Disease outbreaks, like bird flu, are going unchecked in 49 countries.”
In fiscal year 2023, USAID managed over $40 billion in appropriations—less than 1% of the federal budget—primarily funding governance programs, humanitarian aid, and global health initiatives. The top aid recipients last year were Ukraine, Ethiopia, and Jordan, according to the Congressional Research Service.
The recall also affects USAID’s foreign service officers, many of whom have spent years stationed overseas with their families. The sudden order leaves them scrambling to manage housing, school arrangements for their children, and relocation within the U.S.
(CBS News)
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