Overview

• A federal judge issued a preliminary injunction blocking the Trump administration’s plan to furlough 2,200 USAID employees, pending further legal review.
• The administration had aimed to significantly reduce USAID operations, with plans to cut the workforce from 10,000 to fewer than 300 employees, a 97% reduction.
• Two public service unions filed a lawsuit arguing that the dismantling of USAID requires congressional approval and called the move unconstitutional.
• USAID, established in 1961, is a key agency for U.S. foreign aid and humanitarian efforts, employing two-thirds of its staff outside the U.S.
• Critics, including former USAID head Samantha Power, warn that the agency’s closure would harm millions globally, reduce U.S. influence, and jeopardize national security.