In a significant move on Friday, the Trump administration announced plans to cut nearly all remaining jobs at the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), with the agency slated for shutdown. In an internal memo sent to staff, USAID’s acting deputy administrator, Jeremy Lewin, informed employees that all roles not mandated by law would be terminated by July and September.
Lewin, who is also a member of the Department of Government Efficiency led by Elon Musk, confirmed that all agency personnel worldwide would receive emails about their job eliminations. Staff were given the option to be dismissed either on July 1 or September 2.
This announcement came on the same day a powerful earthquake struck Thailand and Myanmar, causing significant destruction and fatalities. USAID has historically been a key player in disaster relief efforts, coordinating humanitarian aid in times of crisis. However, following the shutdown, the State Department will assume responsibility for the remaining “life-saving and strategic aid programming” previously handled by USAID.
The memo also made it clear that USAID employees would not automatically be transferred to the State Department, which would conduct a separate and independent hiring process to fill any remaining positions. The drastic downsizing marks a major shift in U.S. foreign aid policy and the structure of international development programs.
