USAID workers depart agency headquarters as Trump dismantles the department

By Kalli Dahlberg

USAID workers made their final visits to headquarters while the Trump administration continues to dissolve the agency. President Trump and Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) have defunded numerous federal programs in recent weeks, with USAID a primary target. On Monday, 4,080 of 5,600 USAID employees were put on leave and given only 15 minutes to clear their desks. 

“I felt like we made a difference,” Juliane Alfen, a former USAID worker, told the Associated Press, “To see everything disappearing before our eyes in a matter of weeks is very scary.”

Over 90% of USAID’s contracts concerning humanitarian and development have been canceled, and $6 billion in overseas funds have been scrapped. USAID’s South African HIV programs have also been called off practically overnight. 

The cuts reflect Trump and Musk’s claims that the agency does not align with the Trump Administration’s agenda. Both men have stated without evidence that the department is wasteful. These claims have been rebuffed by several politicians, with Rep. Gerald Connolly of Virginia saying USAID saves “millions of lives every year.” 

Several groups are suing the Trump administration for its interference with the agency. Various lawsuits and court challenges have attempted to stop the shutdown, though each has been unsuccessful. 

“The American people deserve a transparent accounting of what will be lost — on counterterror, global health, food security, and competition,” Liz Schrayer, head of the nonprofit U.S. Global Leadership Coalition, wrote in a statement.