All employees of the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) will be placed on administrative leave starting Friday, including abroad, according to a document published on the organization's website.
Elon Musk, tasked by new US President Donald Trump with redesigning the federal government, said on Monday that the agency, which manages billions of dollars in aid around the world, would close.
In the wake of this, the agency was placed under the tutelage of US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, who declared that the United States does not do charity.
Dozens of senior USAID officials had already been placed on leave, and the agency's Washington headquarters was no longer accessible.
"On Friday, February 7, 2025, at 11:59 p.m. [4:59 a.m. in Lisbon], all employees directly employed by USAID will be placed on administrative leave worldwide," with the exception of personnel considered essential, indicates a note published by USAID on the agency's official website, which does not contain any other information.
The decision has caused shock and consternation at the independent agency, created by an act of Congress, the US parliament, in 1961 and which manages a budget of more than 40 billion dollars (38.5 billion euros) for humanitarian aid and development around the world.
Employees working abroad and their families have 30 days to return to the United States, according to the memo.
USAID employs about 10,000 people, two-thirds of whom are deployed overseas, according to the Congressional Research Service.
The crisis at USAID stems from President Donald Trump's freeze on U.S. foreign aid - with some exceptions, including humanitarian aid deemed vital - while support is reviewed for 90 days to assess whether it aligns with foreign policy objectives.
