The Donald Trump administration announced to eliminate around 2,000 US Agency for International Development (USAID) employees while placing a handful of them across the world on paid leave on Sunday (Feb 23). The decision was announced via a notice sent to the agency employees and also posted online. 

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“As of 11:59 p.m. EST on Sunday, February 23, 2025, all USAID direct hire personnel, with the exception of designated personnel responsible for mission-critical functions, core leadership and/or specially designated programs, will be placed on administrative leave globally,” the notice read. 

It further added that "concurrently”, it is "beginning to implement a Reduction-in-Force” that would affect as many as 2,000 workers of the agency. 

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US President Donald Trump tried to dismiss at least thousands of USAID personnel previously - but faced challenges. A federal judge had ruled that Trump administration could not abolish USAID - but on Friday (Feb 21) - the court ruled that the pause is not permanent. 

Earlier in February, Trump appointed the secretary of state Marco Rubio as the acting administration of USAID and the notice which was unsigned, came from  “the office of the administrator”. 

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'Shortsighted, high risk and frankly stupid act' 

As per two former senior USAID officials, a majority of some 4,600 agency personnel, career US Civil Service and Foreign Service staffers, would be placed on administrative leave, news agency Reuters reported. 

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“This administration and Secretary Rubio are shortsighted in cutting into the expertise and unique crisis response capacity of the US”, former USAID official, Marcia Wong, told Reuters. 

“When disease outbreaks occur, populations displaced, these USAID experts are on the ground and first deployed to help stabilize and provide aid?” he further added. 

On the social media platform X, owned by Elon Musk, Wong even called the job cuts “a shortsighted, high risk and frankly stupid act”.

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(With inputs from agencies)