Trump administration to eliminate all USAID overseas positions by September
Trump administration to eliminate all USAID overseas positions by September
The Trump administration will abolish all overseas positions at the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) by 30 September, The Guardian reported, in a major restructuring that transfers control of foreign aid programs to the State Department.
According to a State Department cable issued Tuesday, Secretary of State Marco Rubio ordered the closure of USAID’s global operations, affecting thousands of foreign service officers, contractors, and local staff in over 100 countries. Chiefs of mission at U.S. embassies have been instructed to prepare for the changes within four months.
The cable outlines that the State Department will assume full responsibility for USAID’s foreign assistance programs beginning 15 June. State Department spokesperson Tammy Bruce confirmed the directive and said it aligns with previous Trump administration plans to dismantle the agency. “It wasn’t a surprise. It’s nothing new,” she stated during a press briefing.
The move follows a rapid six-week reduction earlier this year under the administration’s “Department of Government Efficiency” (Doge) initiative, which saw 83% of USAID programs shut down. In March, Rubio announced that 5,200 out of 6,200 programs had been terminated, with the remaining absorbed into the State Department.
Critics say the plan may violate a federal court injunction that temporarily blocked executive orders for mass firings across federal agencies. The administration claims the reorganization was already in progress before the order, denying any breach.
Concerns about USAID’s future emerged after its website disappeared in February, followed by staff being locked out and servers removed. Rubio declared himself acting administrator shortly after.
Internal agency documents warned of severe humanitarian consequences if the cuts were implemented, including increased deaths from malaria, child malnutrition, and polio.
Elon Musk, a key figure in the Doge initiative, publicly supported the dismantling, though some of his claims about USAID programs were later proven false. USAID officials were instructed in March to destroy classified materials, prompting further concern. The State Department confirmed that staff involved in document disposal had appropriate clearances and training.
