USAID Workforce to Shrink from 10,000 to 300 Under Trump’s Cost-Cutting Plan

The Trump administration’s drastic cuts to the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) could see its global workforce reduced from 10,000 to fewer than 300, triggering widespread concern over the future of humanitarian aid programs worldwide.

The move, led by cost-cutting advisor Elon Musk under the newly formed Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), is part of President Trump’s broader effort to slash federal spending.

Thousands of USAID staff, including those based abroad, are expected to be placed on administrative leave by Friday midnight.

An online notice indicated plans for the return travel of affected personnel and the termination of non-essential contracts. The American Foreign Service Association (AFSA) revealed that only 294 staff have been classified as “essential.”

Former USAID chief Gayle Smith criticised the cuts, warning of “dangerous messages” sent by dismantling the agency’s operations. “The U.S. is signaling that we don’t care whether people live or die and that we’re not a reliable partner,” she said.

The cuts have already frozen hundreds of aid programs, including critical health initiatives in countries like Kenya. Nelson Otwoma, an HIV program leader funded by USAID, described the “massive job layoffs” and disruptions to medical services. “People are not getting their medicine. Things have ground to a halt,” he said.

A legal challenge led by AFSA and the American Federation of Government Employees (AFGE) has been filed, arguing that the cuts violate constitutional and federal laws. The lawsuit demands the reinstatement of USAID operations, contracts, and an independent acting director.

Meanwhile, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, now serving as acting USAID head, defended the cuts, asserting that aid programs must align with U.S. priorities.

“We’re not walking away from foreign aid,” Rubio told workers in Guatemala. “But it has to be programs that we can justify.”

Congressman Raja Krishnamoorthi called the cuts “horrible news for global public health,” urging more thoughtful reforms to avoid harming USAID’s mission and beneficiaries.

The crisis has sparked fears of long-term impacts on global health and development as the world grapples with an uncertain future for U.S. humanitarian aid.

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