Trump Administration slashes USAID workforce amid aid freeze

The Trump administration will retain fewer than 300 staff at the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) out of its global workforce of over 10,000, sources told Reuters. The decision follows USAID’s effective shutdown after Trump’s foreign aid freeze, leaving key relief efforts in crisis.

The mass reduction in USAID staffing is the latest escalation in the administration’s restructuring of foreign aid, following Trump’s executive order pausing U.S. humanitarian funding for 90 days. Since the freeze began on January 20, relief groups have struggled to operate as most USAID employees were placed on leave, cutting off access to essential funding and logistical support.

USAID’s closure has already halted food aid deliveries to conflict zones, including Sudan and Gaza, leaving 500,000 metric tons of food supplies stranded in storage. The shutdown also eliminated the Famine Early Warning Systems Network (FEWS NET), a key tool for tracking global hunger crises, raising fears that famine relief efforts could collapse.

Aid workers say volunteer-run food programs have been disrupted, while millions of ready-to-eat nutrition packets for malnourished children remain stuck in warehouses due to uncertainty over funding approvals.

The Trump administration’s focus has shifted toward combating drug cartels and international gangs, redirecting resources away from traditional foreign aid priorities. While some emergency food assistance is expected to continue, humanitarian organizations warn that the lack of USAID personnel could cripple distribution efforts in the months ahead.

The drastic staff reduction has left relief groups in limbo, uncertain whether critical food, health, and disaster relief programs will resume or face further cuts.

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