The U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) faced a tumultuous situation as staff were instructed to avoid the agency’s headquarters in Washington following Elon Musk’s claim that President Trump agreed to shut down the agency. Over 600 employees found themselves locked out of the computer systems, with those remaining receiving notifications of the headquarters’ closure on Feb. 3. Musk, spearheading a civilian review of the federal government, asserted that USAID was irreparable and should be terminated.

The Trump administration’s actions included placing security chiefs at USAID on leave for withholding classified information from Musk’s inspection teams. Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency had previously accessed sensitive data at the Treasury Department, leading to the resignation of a senior official. Democratic lawmakers raised concerns over Trump’s authority to close USAID without congressional approval and criticized Musk’s access to government information through sanctioned inspections.

USAID, a primary target of the Trump administration, faced website disappearance and program disruptions due to foreign assistance freezes. Trump and Musk lambasted the agency’s leadership, while Secretary of State Marco Rubio remained silent on the issue. The freeze on foreign aid led to layoffs and staff reductions within USAID, orchestrated by political appointee Peter Marocco. Concerns were raised about privacy violations and funding cuts, prompting calls for protection from harm by lawmakers like Sen. Elizabeth Warren.