USAID staff bid farewell to headquarters as US sharply cuts foreign aid

(CLO) Employees of the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) arrived at its headquarters in Washington to collect personal belongings, just one day after the Trump administration announced it was cutting more than 90% of the agency's aid contracts.

On Thursday, many USAID employees carried cardboard boxes containing their personal belongings and left the Washington headquarters to applause from colleagues and well-wishers. According to a source, the employees were given just 15 minutes to pack up their belongings. The American Federation of Government Employees criticized the move as “insensitive and disrespectful.”

Former USAID employees pack up personal belongings at the agency's headquarters in Washington on February 27. Photo: GI

Earlier in January, Mr. Trump ordered a 90-day suspension of all foreign aid to review the use of taxpayer money under the "America First" policy.

The decision threw USAID into chaos, stalled global operations, and severely affected humanitarian aid programs.

Trump has tasked billionaire Elon Musk with dismantling USAID as part of his effort to downsize the government on the grounds of waste. Thousands of employees have been laid off, many contractors have lost contracts and have been locked out of the headquarters. Most of them are not expected to be rehired.

Angela Stephens, a veteran USAID employee, expressed disappointment at the agency's complete dissolution. "We knew there would be changes with the new administration, but no one expected it to end like this," she said.

The Trump administration announced that it was eliminating nearly 5,800 grants worth $54 billion, or 92 percent of the total USAID budget. In addition, about 30 percent of the State Department’s foreign aid grants were cut, totaling $4.4 billion. Several major HIV/AIDS programs in South Africa lost funding, and the United Nations agency UNAIDS also had its contract with USAID terminated.

Ngoc Anh (according to Reuters, Daily Sabah)

Source: https://www.congluan.vn/nhan-vien-usaid-tam-biet-tru-so-khi-my-cat-giam-manh-vien-tro-nuoc-ngoai-post336487.html