Staff Reports
The Trump administration is doing what many conservatives have long urged: dismantling the monolithic behemoth known as the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID). In a bold move, the administration announced plans to lay off at least 1,600 employees based in the U.S., signaling a much-needed purge of this agency that often behaves like a libertine cousin with a credit card—the kind that thinks spending money means solving problems.
According to the administration’s communication, all direct hire personnel will be placed on administrative leave by a specific deadline, except those few deemed “mission-critical.” The message was crystal clear: if you’re not essential, it’s time to clean out your desk. Naturally, lawyers and government unions protested this epiphany, but a federal judge recently put those unions in their place, effectively saying that simply wishing for change doesn’t make it happen.
Trump admin eliminating 1,600 USAID jobs in the US. An earlier notice sent to staff &reviewed by Reuters said about 2,000 US positions would be eliminated. USAID programs got less than $100M in exemptions, compared to $40B in programs it administered annually before the freeze. pic.twitter.com/Gcc4zkTgk3
— Timothy Karera (@Tkarera) February 24, 2025
Historically, USAID has been known for funneling taxpayer dollars into a range of questionable projects—often leaving Americans wondering if their hard-earned money is building bridges or burning them. The decision to significantly downsize USAID comes on the heels of the agency being relocated under the watchful eye of Secretary of State Marco Rubio. As office spaces are shuttered, one prime real estate location in D.C. is now under the stewardship of the United States Customs and Border Patrol, which is almost poetic given that securing borders seems a tad more important than building imaginary roadways in faraway lands.
Enticingly enough, for those who still cling to their jobs overseas, USAID is rolling out a voluntary return travel program. There is no shortage of perks; employees will enjoy the luxury of retaining access to agency systems until they can make their grand exit, along with resources for a safe trip home. One can’t help but feel a little jealous—if only there were an Agency-funded program for the rest of America’s overburdened taxpayers.
Elon Musk weighed in on the situation, suggesting that what was once a productive agency is now riddled with rot. According to Musk, the agency is comparable to a ball of worms that merely consumes taxpayer cash rather than producing anything of value. It appears Musk has taken a page out of Trump’s playbook—finalizing the need for accountability by suggesting it’s high time to cut the worms out rather than just pluck a few from their nests.
With this administration at the helm, consolidating government authority doesn’t just end up on a campaign flyer; it’s actualized in tangible actions. The chainsaw approach to government waste, fraud, and inefficiency isn’t just talk—it’s a method that shows how far some are willing to go to rid the nation of bureaucratic redundancies. While some may cast stones, many conservatives see this as a long-overdue reckoning with an agency that has outlived its usefulness.
