Trump invoked ‘pocket rescission’ to unilaterally claw back nearly $5 billion in congressionally approved foreign aid from the State Department and USAID, circumventing Congress’s constitutional authority over federal appropriations. Pocket rescission is a controversial executive …
The Trump administration fired nearly all USAID employees by placing them on administrative leave, cutting the workforce from over 10,000 to 294 employees (97% reduction). The mass firing disrupted humanitarian programs globally and prompted lawsuits from the American Foreign Service Association. …
USAIDTrump AdministrationAmerican Foreign Service AssociationState Departmentagency-eliminationforeign-aidgovernment-restructuringworkforce-reductionmass-layoffs+2 more
USAID officially eliminated by July 1, 2025—faster and more comprehensively than Project 2025 anticipated—with 92% of international development grants terminated and functions folded into State Department. This marks a dramatic reduction of American diplomatic soft power, with over 80% of USAID …
USAIDState DepartmentMarco RubioProject 2025 Implementation TeamInternational development programsusaid-eliminationinternational-developmentdiplomatic-influenceforeign-aidsoft-power-reduction
USAID Inspector General Paul Martin was fired on February 11, 2025, shortly after his office published a critical report warning that the administration’s foreign aid freeze had compromised oversight of $8.2 billion in humanitarian funds. Martin was the 18th inspector general removed by the …
Paul MartinUSAIDDonald TrumpWhite House Personnel OfficeMarco Rubioinspector-generalusaidforeign-aidretaliationhumanitarian-crisis+1 more