The U.S. Government announced the closure of the United States Agency for International Development, one of the most important American foreign assistance institutions. The decision, part of a restructuring plan initiated by the Trump administration, involves eliminating jobs from the agency and transferring the programs to the State Department, IPN reports, referring to Reuters.
The information was communicated to employees through an internal document signed by Jeremy Lewin, acting USAID deputy administrator and a member of the Department for Government Efficiency (DOGE), led by Elon Musk. According to the document, all positions that are not required by law will be abolished in July and September, and USAID missions around the world will be closed.
"Foreign assistance done right can advance our national interests, protect our borders, and strengthen our partnerships with key allies. Unfortunately, USAID strayed from its original mission long ago. As a result, the gains were too few and the costs were too high," said U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, quoted by dw.
The Department of Government Efficiency notified USAID staff that all positions not required by law will be eliminated and that all agency staff will receive letters of resignation from July to September.
DOGE said in a statement that the Department of State will take over USAID's major and strategic assistance programs during this period.
However, USAID staff will not be automatically transferred to the Department of State, but intend to conduct a separate and independent hiring process.
The decision to disband the agency generated strong reactions both among humanitarian aid experts and in the U.S. Congress.
Gregory Meeks, of the Foreign Affairs Committee, said closing USAID "was illegal" and warned that it undermines the global role of the United States.
At the same time, former USAID official Jeremy Konyndyk described the move as "full abandonment of decades of U.S. global leadership."
The announcement of the agency's dissolution coincided with a major natural disaster in Southeast Asia. The earthquake that hit Myanmar caused numerous casualties and significant damage, and USAID would typically have been one of the institutions responsible for coordinating international aid. Although President Trump promised that the U.S. will help Myanmar, no clear strategy has been announced as to how the assistance will be delivered.
Meanwhile, former agency officials warn that drastic cuts in personnel and funding will weaken the United States’ capacity to respond quickly to disasters and could leave room for other powers, such as China and Russia, to intervene in the affected regions.
U.S. President Donald Trump on January 20 suspended aid provided to foreign countries through USAID for 90 days to check how well the agency's programs align with "American values" and the country's foreign policy objectives. Following the audit, Washington canceled 83% of USAID programs.
Photo source: Reuters
