Dozens of Senior Officials at USAID Placed on Leave Amid Investigation into Alleged Efforts to Thwart Trump's Orders

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Dozens of senior officials at the top U.S. aid agency, USAID, have been placed on leave amid an investigation into alleged efforts to thwart President Donald Trump's orders. This move, which took place on Monday, involves at least 56 senior officials who are suspected of attempting to circumvent the President's executive orders. The officials were placed on administrative leave with full pay and benefits while an internal probe is conducted.

The State Department has implemented a freeze on new funding for most U.S. aid programs worldwide, with exceptions for emergency food programs and military aid to Israel and Egypt. This freeze has caused thousands of U.S.-funded humanitarian, development, and security programs to halt their operations or prepare to do so. The lack of funds has also led to the layoff of hundreds of contractors based in Washington and other locations.

The new acting administrator of USAID, Jason Gray, identified several actions within the agency that appeared to be designed to undermine the President's directives. This led to the decision to place the senior officials on leave while the analysis of these actions is completed. The officials in question are experienced employees who have served in multiple administrations, including Trump's. Before being placed on leave, they were actively working to help U.S.-funded aid organizations cope with the funding freeze and seek waivers to continue vital activities, such as providing clean water and monitoring for bird flu globally.

The Trump administration, along with GOP lawmakers who are skeptical of the need for foreign aid, intends to review each foreign assistance program to determine whether it aligns with U.S. interests and to eliminate those deemed wasteful or unnecessary.