USAID Can Only Retain Less than Three Hundred Staff

The US foreign aid agency (USAID) could reduce its staff from nearly 10,000 to fewer than 300 worldwide as the Trump administration slashes government spending.

Almost all but a few essential workers are forced to start their leave at midnight on Friday, including thousands who are abroad.

An online notice says plans are being made for return travel and the suspension of non-essential contracts.

A union representing workers – which has legally challenged the plan – told the BBC’s US partner CBS News that only 294 workers are considered essential.

Trump’s restrictions on USAID – fueled by his cost-cutting adviser Elon Musk – have transformed the international aid system, with hundreds of programs already suspended in the US and around the world.

By: BBC