Dozens of senior officers within the U.S. company that administers international support have been reportedly positioned on depart Monday amid an investigation into alleged resistance to President Donald Trump’s orders.
At the very least 56 U.S. Company for Worldwide Improvement (USAID) officers have been positioned on administrative depart with full pay and advantages, Politico first reported.
A number of hundred contractors based mostly in Washington and elsewhere have been additionally laid off, a present and a former official instructed the Related Press.
These actions come after Secretary of State Marco Rubio, appearing on Trump’s govt order, paused all U.S. international help funded by or via the State Division and USAID.
The 90-day pause has halted 1000’s of U.S.-funded humanitarian, improvement and safety applications worldwide and compelled support organizations to put off tons of of workers as a result of they’ll’t make payroll.
Based on the Related Press, an inner USAID discover despatched late Monday mentioned new appearing administrator Jason Grey had recognized “a number of actions inside USAID that look like designed to avoid the President’s Govt Orders and the mandate from the American individuals.”
“Consequently, we now have positioned various USAID workers on administrative depart with full pay and advantages till additional discover whereas we full our evaluation of those actions,” Grey wrote.
The discover didn’t say which of the handfuls of govt orders Trump has signed since taking workplace the USAID officers have been accused of violating, in keeping with the AP.
The White Home and USAID didn’t instantly reply to requests for remark.
These positioned on depart have been profession officers who had served in a number of administrations, together with Trump’s, the previous USAID official instructed the AP.
Earlier than these officers have been faraway from the job Monday, they have been scrambling to assist U.S.-funded support organizations deal with the brand new funding freeze and search waivers to proceed life-saving actions, from getting clear water to war-displaced individuals in Sudan to persevering with to watch for chicken flu globally, the previous official mentioned.
Secretary of State Marco Rubio has particularly exempted solely emergency meals applications and army support to Israel and Egypt from the freeze on international help.
Trump has criticized international support and referred to as for a evaluation of U.S. support applications to find out which put American pursuits first and which ought to be eradicated.
The U.S. is the most important donor of support globally.
Throughout fiscal yr 2023, the U.S. dispersed $72 billion in help.
It additionally supplied 42% of all humanitarian support tracked by the United Nations in 2024.
The Related Press and Reuters contributed to this report.
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