A U.S. judge on Friday temporarily halted plans to place 2,200 USAID employees on leave, blocking part of the Trump administration’s efforts to dismantle the agency.
U.S. District Judge Carl Nichols, a Trump appointee, made the decision during a hearing on a lawsuit filed by government workers’ unions opposing the cuts. While his order prevents the immediate leave of 2,200 employees and pauses the relocation of certain humanitarian workers, Nichols did not grant broader requests to reopen USAID offices or restore funding.
The administration, in a Thursday notice, said only 611 essential workers would remain at USAID, out of a 10,000-strong global workforce. A Justice Department official, Brett Shumate, told the court that 500 employees had already been placed on leave.
Trump, in a Truth Social post, accused USAID of corruption and fraudulent spending but provided no evidence. “USAID IS DRIVING THE RADICAL LEFT CRAZY… THE CORRUPTION IS AT LEVELS RARELY SEEN BEFORE. CLOSE IT DOWN!” he wrote.
After taking office on January 20, Trump froze all U.S. foreign aid to align with his “America First” policy. The State Department then issued stop-work orders, halting USAID programs worldwide, except for emergency food assistance. Experts warn this move risks lives.
The agency’s restructuring is being led by billionaire Elon Musk, a Trump ally focused on shrinking the federal bureaucracy.
In 2023, the U.S. disbursed $72 billion in foreign aid through USAID, funding projects on health, clean water, and anti-corruption. It provided 42% of all UN-tracked humanitarian aid in 2024—less than 1% of the U.S. budget.
