A U.S. judge has temporarily halted President Donald Trump's initiative to place 2,200 employees of the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) on leave. This decision comes amid ongoing legal battles aimed at dismantling the agency.
U.S. District Judge Carl Nichols of Washington, appointed by Trump during his first term, made the announcement during a hearing on a lawsuit filed by the largest U.S. government workers' union and an association of foreign service workers. These groups sought to stop the administration's efforts to close USAID.
Judge Nichols indicated that a written ruling would be released later Friday. However, he showed reluctance to approve additional union demands to reopen USAID buildings and restore funding for agency grants and contracts.
The Trump administration had previously notified USAID workers that it would retain only 611 essential staff from a global workforce exceeding 10,000.
Lawyer Karla Gilbride, representing the unions, criticized the administration's actions, stating, \"The major reduction in force, as well as the closure of offices and the forced relocation of these individuals, were all done in excess of the executive's authority in violation of the separation of powers.\"
Justice Department official Brett Shumate informed Judge Nichols that around 2,200 USAID employees would be placed on paid leave, with 500 already affected.
Trump, via a post on Truth Social, accused USAID of corruption and fraudulent spending, urging its closure. Following his inauguration on January 20, Trump ordered a pause on all U.S. foreign aid to align it with his \"America First\" policy, leading to significant disruptions in USAID's humanitarian efforts worldwide.
Notably, businessman Elon Musk, a close Trump ally, has been overseeing the agency's dismantling as part of broader efforts to reduce the federal bureaucracy.
In the 2023 fiscal year, the U.S. disbursed $72 billion in aid globally through USAID, supporting initiatives from women's health in conflict zones to clean water access and energy security. The U.S. contributed 42 percent of all humanitarian aid tracked by the United Nations in 2024, representing less than 1 percent of the federal budget.
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Judge blocks USAID layoffs as Trump moves to dismantle agency
cgtn.com
