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Thousands of employees at the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) will be placed on leave starting Friday night, the agency announced in a statement on its website.
According to USAID, all “direct-hire personnel” will be put on leave at the end of this week, except those assigned to “mission-critical functions, core leadership, and specially designated programmes.”
The move is part of a series of budget cuts enacted by President Donald Trump since returning to office last month, sparking concerns over the impact on humanitarian programmes worldwide.
USAID said it would coordinate with the State Department to arrange and pay for the return of overseas personnel within a month.
Employees who are exempt from the leave order will be notified by 15:00 EDT (20:00 GMT) on Thursday.
A statement posted on the agency’s website concluded with the message: “Thank you for your service.”
USAID, which provided humanitarian aid to more than 100 countries, employs around 10,000 people globally, with two-thirds stationed overseas, according to the Congressional Research Service.
On Tuesday, many USAID staffers received an email informing them they had been placed on paid administrative leave.
The email, obtained by BBC News, instructed employees to remain “available” by telephone and email during business hours but barred them from entering USAID buildings.
Since taking office, Trump and his allies have prioritized deep spending cuts, and USAID has become a key target.
Earlier this week, Secretary of State Marco Rubio was named acting head of the agency, effectively merging it into the State Department.
Billionaire Tesla Chief Executive Officer, Elon Musk, who was appointed to lead a new agency focused on government spending cuts, has argued that USAID should be shut down entirely, calling it “beyond repair.”
Critics warn that dismantling the agency would have severe consequences for vulnerable populations worldwide.
USAID programmes included providing prosthetic limbs to wounded soldiers in Ukraine, clearing landmines, and containing Ebola outbreaks in Africa.
Democrats in Washington have strongly opposed the move.
“[USAID is] a foreign policy tool with bipartisan origins that is critical in this dangerous global environment,” New Jersey Senator Andy Kim wrote on social media. “Gutting it means gutting our ability to compete and keep America safe.”
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