President Donald Trump announced Tuesday that he ordered nearly all U.S. Agency for International Development workers off their jobs. The decision was part of the Trump administration’s efforts to rein in government spending.
USAID is the primary government agency responsible for organizing the distribution of funds to help countries worldwide “recovering from disaster, trying to escape poverty, and engaging in democratic reforms,” according to its website.
Multiple reports revealed that all workers will be placed on leave starting Friday night, according to Trump’s directive. All international staff will be recalled by Friday, and international missions and operations have been halted. CBS News reported that those considered to be part of “mission-critical functions, core leadership, and specially designated programs” were exempt from these changes. Agency executives will notify these people by February 6 at 3 p.m. that they are considered essential employees.
“For USAID personnel currently posted outside the United States, the Agency, in coordination with missions and the Department of State, is currently preparing a plan, in accordance with all applicable requirements and laws, under which the Agency would arrange and pay for return travel to the United States within 30 days and provide for the termination of PSC and ISC contracts that are not determined to be essential,” read a statement from USAID. “The Agency will consider case-by-case exceptions and return travel extensions based on personal or family hardship, mobility or safety concerns, or other reasons.”
Trump accused the agency of reckless spending, calling it “tremendous fraud.”
“They went totally crazy, what they were doing and the money they were giving to people that shouldn’t be getting it and to agencies and others that shouldn’t be getting it, it was a shame, so a tremendous fraud,” Trump said about his decision.
Democrats condemned the decision, and many claimed that the president did not have the legal authority to take such action.
Sen. Chris Van Hollen (D-MD) categorized Trump’s executive order to shut down USAID as an “illegal power grab” and “a corrupt abuse of power,” the Associated Press reported.
“It’s not only a gift to our adversaries, but trying to shut down the Agency for International Development by executive order is plain illegal,” Van Hollen said.
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“This is a constitutional crisis we are in today,” said Sen. Chris Murphy (D-CT).
Democrats said they planned to challenge Trump’s decision in court and announced they would retaliate by trying to block the president’s nominations for the State Department, according to the Associated Press, unless the directive to shutter USAID was reversed.
