WASHINGTON (Reuters) -A U.S. judge is weighing whether to temporarily block the Trump administration from dismantling the U.S. Agency for International Development and carrying out plans to put thousands of its workers globally on administrative leave at midnight.
U.S. District Judge Carl Nichols in Washington on Friday held a hearing in a lawsuit filed on Thursday by the American Federation of Government Employees and the American Foreign Service Association. They are seeking an order blocking what it says are “unconstitutional and illegal actions” that have created a “global humanitarian crisis.”
The administration in a notice sent to the foreign aid agency’s workers on Thursday said it will keep 611 essential workers on board at USAID out of a worldwide workforce that totals more than 10,000.
“The major reduction in force, as well as the closure of offices, the forced relocation of these individuals were all done in excess of the executive’s authority in violation of the separation of powers,” Karla Gilbride, a lawyer for the unions, said at the hearing.
A Justice Department official, Brett Shumate, told Nichols that about 2,200 USAID employees would be put on paid leave under the administration’s plans.
“The president has decided there is corruption and fraud at USAID,” Shumate said.
President Donald Trump in a post on Truth Social on Friday accused USAID – without evidence – of spending money fraudulently and of corruption.
He said: “USAID IS DRIVING THE RADICAL LEFT CRAZY, AND THERE IS NOTHING THEY CAN DO ABOUT IT BECAUSE THE WAY IN WHICH THE MONEY HAS BEEN SPENT, SO MUCH OF IT FRAUDULENTLY, IS TOTALLY UNEXPLAINABLE. THE CORRUPTION IS AT LEVELS RARELY SEEN BEFORE. CLOSE IT DOWN!”
Trump, on January 20, the day he was inaugurated, ordered that all U.S. foreign aid be paused, saying he wanted to ensure it is aligned with his “America First” policy. Following the order, the State Department halted USAID projects around the world, agency computer systems went offline and staff were abruptly placed on leave.
Chaos has since consumed the agency, which distributes billions of dollars of humanitarian aid around the world.
Hundreds of USAID programs covering billions of dollars worth of lifesaving aid across the globe came to a grinding halt, with the exception of emergency food assistance. Experts warned that the move risks killing people.
Since then, dozens of USAID career staff have been put on leave and hundreds of contractors have been left in a severe financial crunch with some having to lay off staff and facing millions of dollars in unpaid invoices.
The gutting of the agency has largely been overseen by businessman Elon Musk, the world’s richest man and a close Trump ally spearheading the president’s effort to shrink the federal bureaucracy.
(Reporting by Andrew Goudsward and Daphne Psaledakis in Washington and Nate Raymond in Boston;Editing by Noeleen Walder, Deepa Babington and Daniel Wallis)
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