A federal court has issued a temporary restraining order to halt President Donald Trump's proposal aimed at restructuring the United States Agency for International Development (USAID). The decision is intended to inhibit significant changes that were scheduled to take effect imminently.
US District Judge Carl Nichols in Washington, DC, issued the temporary restraining order to prevent 2,200 USAID employees from being placed on administrative leave by midnight Friday. USAID employs around 10,000 people, with two-thirds stationed overseas. The move was part of a larger plan by Trump to modify the agency's operations.
USAID is recognized as the US government’s principal organization for overseas development assistance. Attorneys representing agency employees filed an emergency petition to counteract the proposed administrative leave affecting a vast majority of the workforce. Under Trump's proposal, only 611 employees would remain active, based on roles he deemed essential.
President Trump has long criticized overseas funding, arguing that agencies like USAID do not provide valuable returns on taxpayer money. This initiative to cut back USAID is part of broader efforts by the Trump administration to reduce federal spending by targeting various agencies for budget cuts. The administration formed the Department of Government Efficiency (Doge), led by Elon Musk, to spearhead these efforts.
The American Foreign Service Association and American Federation of Government Employees, both unions representing USAID employees, filed a lawsuit arguing that Trump's actions violated the US Constitution and federal law. They contend that only Congress has the authority to dismantle such agencies and that none of Trump's actions were sanctioned by congressional authorization.
The Trump administration announced that 611 employees would continue working at USAID, amid allegations of corruption and fraud within the organization. Brett Shumate, an official from the Department of Justice, stated that Trump was addressing these issues. In response, USAID's headquarters in Washington, DC experienced significant changes, including the removal and covering of agency signs.
Despite controversies, USAID remains a critical component of the US's humanitarian efforts worldwide, operating in over 60 countries through numerous contractors. In 2023, the US spent a substantial $68 billion on international aid, with USAID accounting for more than half of this amount—around $40 billion, equating to 0.6% of the total annual government spending of $6.75 trillion.
Former USAID leaders condemned the proposed reductions, emphasizing the agency's swift response during humanitarian crises. Gayle Smith, a former USAID chief, stressed that diminishing USAID's role sends risky signals to the global community about the US's commitment to humanitarian efforts.
President Trump’s controversial announcement on his Truth Social platform underscored his stance by emphasizing perceived corruption within USAID and calling for its closure. The ramifications of such a drastic move continue to be a topic of intense discussion and analysis.
