Trump Places USAID Employees on Leave
The Trump administration has put approximately 60 senior USAID officials on administrative leave to stifle opposition to policy changes. Read Full Article at RT.com.
TroibNews 
The Trump administration has placed around 60 senior career officials at the US Agency for International Development on administrative leave, reportedly to stifle dissent over major changes to US foreign aid policies, according to an internal memo.
This measure follows President Donald Trump’s executive order that suspends most foreign aid for 90 days to facilitate a comprehensive spending review. An internal memo from USAID's new leadership, which was obtained by Reuters and AP on Monday, indicated that certain agency actions "appear to be designed to circumvent the President’s Executive Orders and the mandate from the American people."
"As a result, we have placed a number of USAID employees on administrative leave with full pay and benefits until further notice while we complete our analysis of these actions," acting USAID Administrator Jason Gray stated in the memo.
Critics within the agency, as cited by Reuters, described the climate at USAID as having a "massive chilling effect" and suggested that this action is meant to silence employees who are seeking waivers for what they deem "essential" programs. The Financial Times has reported that several US diplomats have sought exemptions for alleged "critical" projects related to Ukraine.
The 90-day pause in foreign aid has resulted in program interruptions and staff layoffs across the globe. Secretary of State Marco Rubio has exempted only emergency food programs and military aid to Israel and Egypt from the freeze. The US, recognized as the largest donor worldwide, allocated nearly $72 billion in various forms of assistance to foreign governments and international institutions during the fiscal year 2023.
Washington contributes to over 42% of all aid tracked by the United Nations. Despite Rubio’s assurances that vital life-saving aid would remain unaffected, UN High Commissioner for Refugees Filippo Grandi announced that there would be unavoidable expenditure cuts and operational freezes. President Trump and his supporters argue that these actions fulfill his campaign promise to reduce bureaucracy and government waste.
Allen M Lee for TROIB News
This measure follows President Donald Trump’s executive order that suspends most foreign aid for 90 days to facilitate a comprehensive spending review. An internal memo from USAID's new leadership, which was obtained by Reuters and AP on Monday, indicated that certain agency actions "appear to be designed to circumvent the President’s Executive Orders and the mandate from the American people."
"As a result, we have placed a number of USAID employees on administrative leave with full pay and benefits until further notice while we complete our analysis of these actions," acting USAID Administrator Jason Gray stated in the memo.
Critics within the agency, as cited by Reuters, described the climate at USAID as having a "massive chilling effect" and suggested that this action is meant to silence employees who are seeking waivers for what they deem "essential" programs. The Financial Times has reported that several US diplomats have sought exemptions for alleged "critical" projects related to Ukraine.
The 90-day pause in foreign aid has resulted in program interruptions and staff layoffs across the globe. Secretary of State Marco Rubio has exempted only emergency food programs and military aid to Israel and Egypt from the freeze. The US, recognized as the largest donor worldwide, allocated nearly $72 billion in various forms of assistance to foreign governments and international institutions during the fiscal year 2023.
Washington contributes to over 42% of all aid tracked by the United Nations. Despite Rubio’s assurances that vital life-saving aid would remain unaffected, UN High Commissioner for Refugees Filippo Grandi announced that there would be unavoidable expenditure cuts and operational freezes. President Trump and his supporters argue that these actions fulfill his campaign promise to reduce bureaucracy and government waste.
Allen M Lee for TROIB News
