Trump administration to eliminate 1,600 USAid jobs in the US
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USAid programmes received less than US$100 million (S$133 million) in exemptions, according to the list.
PHOTO: REUTERS
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WASHINGTON - US President Donald Trump’s administration on Feb 23 said it was placing all personnel at the foreign assistance agency USAid, except leaders and critical staff around the world, on paid administrative leave and eliminating 1,600 positions in the United States.
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“I regret to inform you that you are affected by a Reduction in Force action,” said an e-mail sent to one of the workers being fired that was reviewed by Reuters.
Those who got the note will be let go from federal service effective April 24, the e-mail said.
USAid said on its website that just before midnight on Feb 23 US Eastern Time, all direct hire personnel except essential workers, will be put on leave, and 1,600 USAid personnel in the US would be cut.
An earlier notice sent to staff and reviewed by Reuters said about 2,000 US positions would be eliminated.
The White House did not immediately respond to request for comment.
On Feb 21, a federal judge cleared the way for the Trump administration to put thousands of USAid workers on leave, a setback for government employee unions that are suing over what they have called an effort to dismantle it.
Two former senior USAid officials estimated that a majority of some 4,600 USAid personnel, career US Civil Service and Foreign Service staffers, would be placed on administrative leave.
“This administration and Secretary (of State Marco) Rubio are shortsighted in cutting into the expertise and unique crisis response capacity of the US,” said Ms Marcia Wong, one of the former officials.
“When disease outbreaks occur, populations displaced, these USAid experts are on the ground and first deployed to help stabilise and provide aid?”
“Unsigned notices like this are not self-implementing. They must be followed up by an individual personnel action or at least an approved leave slip, properly executed by someone with that authority,” said the second former official, who asked not to be further identified.
Mr Trump ordered a 90-day pause on foreign aid shortly after taking office, halting funding for everything from programmes that fight starvation and deadly diseases to providing shelters for millions of displaced people across the globe.
The administration has approved exceptions to the freeze totalling US$5.3 billion (S$7.06 billion), mostly for security and counter-narcotics programmes, according to a list of exemptions reviewed by Reuters that included limited humanitarian relief.
USAid programmes received less than US$100 million in exemptions, according to the list. That compares to roughly US$40 billion in USAid programmes administered annually before the freeze. REUTERS
