The Trump administration has unveiled a plan to significantly reduce staffing levels worldwide for U.S. aid projects, as part of its broader restructuring of the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID). The plan, disclosed to senior agency officials, aims to retain fewer than 300 employees out of the current 8,000 direct-hires and contractors, while also maintaining an unspecified number of 5,000 locally hired international staff members to oversee essential programs. The duration of this downsizing to 300 staff members remains uncertain, pending a review by the administration to determine which aid and development initiatives will be reinstated.
Secretary of State Marco Rubio emphasized the U.S. government’s ongoing commitment to providing foreign aid aligned with national interests, amid a broader push by the Trump administration and ally Elon Musk to streamline government operations. This initiative has imposed a funding freeze on most of USAID’s global programs since President Trump’s inauguration, with the majority of employees placed on administrative leave. Plans to potentially integrate USAID functions under the State Department have drawn criticism from Democratic lawmakers and others who argue that such a move would require congressional approval.
The proposed staffing cuts underscore a strategic shift in U.S. foreign aid priorities, signaling a more selective approach to international assistance under the current administration’s agenda. The evolving landscape of USAID’s operations reflects a broader trend of reevaluating federal programs and expenditures to align with policy objectives and efficiency goals, amid ongoing debates over the role and scope of governmental aid initiatives.
