New Cuts at USAID: Trump Administration Puts Thousands on Leave**

The U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) faces significant workforce reductions, as the Trump administration moves ahead with plans to place thousands on leave and lay off around 2,000 employees, amid ongoing controversy surrounding its foreign aid policies.**

Most employees of the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) will be placed back on administrative leave starting midnight Sunday, according to a recent communication from the Trump administration. Approximately 2,000 workers are also set to be laid off in a "reduction in force" initiative, as revealed in an email obtained by CBS News, a partner of BBC's reporting.

This latest action comes shortly after President Donald Trump’s earlier attempt to significantly downsize USAID—a move that met a legal challenge. A federal judge recently ruled against the employees' pleas to halt these firings, affirming that the Trump administration can pursue its plan to reduce the agency's workforce. Only "designated personnel" crucial to the agency's core operations or in leadership positions will be exempt from these measures, but the specifics on how many belong to those categories remain unclear.

The ruling by Judge Carl Nichols has enabled the administration to fulfill its plans, marking yet another step in Trump's broader efforts to trim down the federal workforce. This campaign is reportedly guided by billionaire adviser Elon Musk, who has repeatedly critiqued USAID. Over the weekend, Musk urged bureaucrats to document their achievements, emphasizing efficiency as part of their reduction strategy.

At a conservative convention outside Washington, Trump reiterated his disdain for USAID, calling it a "left-wing scam." He announced physical removals of the agency's branding from its building, a space now repurposed for Customs and Border Patrol agents. Musk has previously labeled USAID as "a criminal organization," although he has yet to present any evidence to substantiate those claims.

The Congressional Research Service indicates that USAID employs around 10,000 individuals, with two-thirds of its staff working in overseas posts. The agency has stated that it will provide support for voluntary return travel for its workers stationed abroad. If these latest measures proceed, USAID could see its workforce slashed to a mere few hundred, raising alarms about the potential impacts on global health and aid initiatives, particularly as it freezes assistance to 50 countries.