More Than 400 USAID Employees Dismissed, U.S. Aid Programs Under Review

SEAToday.com, Moscow - The United States Agency for International Development (USAID) has reportedly dismissed more than 400 employees in recent days, according to The New York Times.

The layoffs include 36 employees from the Office of Transition Initiatives (OTI), a unit focused on supporting political transitions and democratic initiatives in partner countries. Additionally, around 200 affected employees were from the humanitarian aid bureau, while another 200 worked in divisions responsible for delivering assistance in natural disasters and armed conflicts.

Many of the dismissed employees had served for over 25 years and had experience working in conflict zones such as Syria, Afghanistan, and Ukraine.

The mass layoffs follow statements from billionaire Elon Musk, who now leads the Department of Government Effectiveness (DOGE), calling USAID a "criminal organization" that "must be dismantled." Musk also claimed that President Donald Trump had approved USAID’s closure, with the process currently underway and its funding frozen.

Meanwhile, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, appointed by Trump as acting head of USAID, stated that the administration is reassessing USAID’s programs to align with current U.S. foreign policy. Rubio emphasized that while funding has been temporarily halted, aid programs could be reinstated or even expanded after the review is completed.