WASHINGTON, D.C. — The U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) continues to face significant changes under the current administration. Despite the headquarters’ closure in recent weeks, staff returned on Thursday to retrieve personal belongings from their offices.
Applause erupted within the Ronald Reagan Building as USAID officials exited elevators, carrying mementos and artifacts from their careers in public service.
Fired employees and those placed on administrative leave were summoned to the now-closed USAID headquarters for a brief window to collect their belongings, often facing only 15 minutes to vacate their desks.
Former USAID administrators expressed concern and solidarity with their former colleagues during this tumultuous period. “This abrupt change is contrary to the mission of USAID, which aims to uplift human dignity,” remarked one former administrator. “What we are witnessing is the dismantling of that very mission.”
Critics of the administration’s handling of USAID note the rapid pace of these changes, which they describe as a “shock and awe” approach, leaving little time for the agency’s supporters and stakeholders to react. Departing employees, some with decades of service, have expressed their heartbreak as they step away from a role they cherished.
The backdrop of these changes includes a series of contract cancellations and a re-evaluation of how foreign aid is distributed. The administration insists that taxpayer dollars should bolster U.S. interests, but advocates warn that these cuts could have dire consequences for communities relying on USAID’s support globally.
Officials from the Trump administration have criticized agency employees as being unfit for service, labeling them as radical elements. Meanwhile, aid organizations are raising red flags about the potential fallout from reduced assistance in crisis zones around the world. Advocates emphasize that these funding cuts could exacerbate humanitarian issues in more than 120 countries, undermining efforts to combat disease and poverty.
As legal battles unfold over halted contracts and funding, the future of USAID remains uncertain. Former administrators are monitoring the situation closely, concerned that ongoing turmoil may deter young professionals from pursuing careers in public service. “Cutting critical support isn’t a strategy; it jeopardizes both our foreign policy and humanitarian commitments,” one former administrator stated.
