The U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) is slashing 1,600 jobs as it faces its biggest crisis in decades. The move is part of a wider effort by President Donald Trump and billionaire Elon Musk to cut government spending and tackle alleged financial waste.
USAID, which has managed $46 billion in annual funds for global aid projects, has long faced accusations of mismanagement and handing out grants with little oversight. Trump and his allies have pushed for its dismantling, and it now looks closer than ever to collapse.
Most staff outside the U.S. are safe for now, but American-based employees were told they were being let go. A U.S. federal judge ruled this week that the administration could move forward with the layoffs, rejecting workers’ legal attempts to block them.
The agency initially planned to cut 2,000 positions, but its latest update put the number at 1,600. USAID officials described the move as a “reduction in force,” signaling deeper cuts could follow.
Critics say the cuts will cripple U.S. humanitarian efforts worldwide, while supporters argue it’s a long-overdue cleanup of federal spending. Either way, USAID’s future has never looked shakier.
