Trump Places Dozens of Senior USAID Officials on Leave Over Alleged Attempts to Circumvent 90-Day Foreign Aid Freeze

Jan 28, 2025, 12:57 AM

The Trump administration has placed nearly 60 senior officials at the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) on administrative leave, alleging attempts to circumvent President Donald Trump's executive orders freezing foreign aid. Acting Administrator Jason Gray informed staff, stating, "We have identified several actions within USAID that appeared designed to circumvent the President's Executive Orders." The executive orders include a 90-day pause on U.S. foreign assistance pending a comprehensive review. The decision impacts much of the agency's leadership in Washington, effectively decimating its senior ranks. The move follows suspicions that some officials were conspiring to override Trump's directives halting foreign aid programs.