At least 56 senior officials from the US agency for international development (USAID) were placed on administrative leave Monday following an internal investigation into an alleged attempt to undermine US President Donald Trump’s recent executive orders. The move, confirmed by both current and former USAID officials, has raised questions about the agency’s compliance with the President’s directives.
According to a report from news agency AP, the USAID employees, many of whom have served under multiple administrations, were placed on leave after Jason Gray, the acting administrator, identified actions within the agency that appeared to circumvent Trump’s executive orders. The freeze on most US foreign assistance, which was issued last week, has had a sweeping impact on aid organisations across the globe, with thousands of employees now facing layoffs as programs grind to a halt.
“We have placed a number of USAID employees on administrative leave with full pay and benefits until further notice while we complete our analysis of these actions,” Gray wrote in an internal USAID notice obtained by The Associated Press. The notice did not specify which executive orders the employees were suspected of violating.
Fallout from Trump’s executive orders
The decision to place the senior USAID officials on leave follows an executive order by President Trump, which directed a 90-day pause on most foreign assistance disbursed through the state department. As a result of the freeze, critical humanitarian, development, and security programs around the world have stopped or are preparing to cease operations.
The USAID staff were working to address the impact of the freeze, attempting to secure waivers to continue providing life-saving services, including access to clean water in Sudan and monitoring global health threats like bird flu. However, many of these efforts have been halted, leaving aid organizations scrambling to find alternate funding sources.
Focus on US interests
In addition to the freeze on foreign assistance, secretary of state Marco Rubio has exempted only emergency food programs and military aid to Israel and Egypt from the suspension. Trump and GOP lawmakers have voiced concerns about the effectiveness and necessity of foreign aid, with many calling for a thorough review of each program to determine whether it aligns with US interests and is worth funding.
While the freeze has caused significant disruption in international aid efforts, the Trump administration and its allies argue that the pause will allow the US government to assess foreign assistance programs more critically and eliminate those that are perceived as wasteful or politically driven.
The decision to place USAID officials on leave has sparked significant attention, with many questioning how this investigation might reshape US foreign aid priorities in the years to come.
As of now, no timeline has been set for the completion of the investigation, and USAID has not yet indicated which individuals will ultimately return to their roles.
