Personnel handling the State Department agency’s essential duties have been exempted.
The U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) issued a directive on Feb. 4 instructing that all direct hire personnel to be placed on “administrative leave globally” on Feb. 7, except for those handling essential duties.
The internal directive, posted on the USAID’s website, stated that there would be exceptions for “designated personnel responsible for mission-critical functions, core leadership and specially designated programs.”
According to the directive, agency leadership will notify essential personnel expected to continue working by Feb. 6.
It stated that a plan is being developed to coordinate the return of USAID personnel based overseas to the United States within 30 days.
The USAID was established by President John F. Kennedy in 1961 through the Foreign Assistance Act. The agency of the State Department is responsible for administering U.S. foreign aid and development assistance.
Since taking office on Jan. 20, President Donald Trump placed a 90-day freeze on all foreign aid and worldwide development funding pending reviews to align the agency with his “America First” policy platform.
His administration has also placed many senior USAID officials on administrative leave, including those who refused to comply with his foreign aid order and another order banning diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives in the federal government. There has also been a widespread layoff of contractors.
Secretary of State Marco Rubio has since confirmed that he has taken over as acting USAID chief, as the agency is “supposed to respond to policy directives of the State Department, and it refuses to do so.”