USAID officials put on leave for allegedly not abiding by executive order

Just after 6 p.m. EST on Monday, the Trump administration placed a number of senior career officials at the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) on leave for allegedly not abiding by President Trump’s executive order to freeze much of U.S. foreign aid.

NPR obtained a copy of a message sent to all USAID staff by acting administrator Jason Gray: “We have identified several actions within USAID that appear to be designed to circumvent the President’s Executive Order and the mandate from the American people. As a result, 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.”

The memo did not say how many people were placed on leave.

An agency staff member spoke about the memo to NPR on the condition of anonymity because of fears of retribution. “It’s shocking,” the individual said. “To my knowledge the stop-work order has been closely followed”

The staff member added that such an action by a new administration is unheard of.

Established in 1961, USAID provides assistance to strategically important countries and aims to alleviate poverty, disease, and humanitarian need as well as support economic growth. In fiscal year 2023, it had a budget of over $40 billion and a workforce of more than 10,000, with the majority working overseas.

On Inauguration Day, Trump ordered a 90-day pause in almost all foreign aid to give the administration a chance to ensure that it fits with its priorities. “The United States foreign aid industry and bureaucracy are not aligned with American interests and in many cases antithetical to American values,” the executive order read.

Then on Friday, the State Department issued a “stop-work” order that surprised global health experts by stopping funds for not only future aid projects but also existing programs.

Over the weekend, USAID staff were told in an email by Ken Jackson, assistant to the administrator for management and resources, that the “pause on all foreign assistance means a complete halt” and that USAID staff should help ensure that aid work aligns with Trump’s America First policy and that staff who to ignore these orders could be disciplined. NPR obtained a copy of the email.

“Failure to abide by this directive, or any of the directives sent out earlier this week and in the coming weeks, will result in disciplinary action. I will hold leaders accountable to ensure their employees adhere to these expectations,” the email said. “We have a responsibility to support the President in achieving his vision. This will require each of us to be flexible, to work at a pace we may not be accustomed to, to challenge the basic assumptions surrounding foreign aid, and to make decisions that ensure the United States becomes safer, stronger, and more prosperous.”