Rubio foreign aid freeze leads to USAID staff suspensions and contractor terminations
Multiple sources told CBS News that dozens of senior employees in the US International Development Agency (USAID) had been placed before the administrative holiday. Until separate notifications, hundreds of contractors have taken their employment vacation or terminated. This is Secretary of State Marco Rubio Last Friday’s orders stopped almost all foreign aid assistance from the United States immediately stopped.
The news of Columbia Broadcasting Company talked with more than a dozen current US International Development Agency, and they were anonymous to speak anonymously.
A email received by Columbia Broadcasting Corporation News, and sent it from the US International Development Agency’s agent Jason Gray to the US International Development Agency (USAID) staff on Monday, “Many international development of the United States International Development “Employees of the Department” were taken to the administrative holiday, and all salary and benefits were not in the “several actions in the US International Development Agency”.
Five sources of information familiar with internal operations told CBS News that about 60 senior personnel of the US International Development Agency have been suspended, including assistant administrators and deputy management personnel to lead most of their institutions-no clear leadership talents. Most of the vacation are professional civil servants and diplomats. They also include the US International Development Agency’s lawyers in the general legal advisory office to explain the execution of the execution command.
A source told Colombia Broadcasting Corporation that the affected person was told that “returning home does not communicate with anyone from the US International Development Agency.” Two sources told CBS news that some people with problems were actually escorted.
According to six sources familiar with the operation, Columbia Broadcasting Corporation News also learned that hundreds of contractors from the US International Development Agency have been vacated or fired. Some people have been informed that they are immediately fired without the dismissal fee. Their benefits will expire within three days, while others are informed that their benefits will take effect before the end of February.
Rubio’s order is part of the government’s efforts to campaign commitments with President Trump to reduce the scale of federal labor and Find the place to cut It considers a waste of government expenditure. Mr. Trump has long believed that other countries have insufficient contributions to foreign aid, and the United States is being affected. However, critics say that this reduction may destroy the United States’ position in the world and create a vacancies for China and other opponents who want to exert influence abroad.
In response to the task of stopping federal foreign aid in response to Rubio, on Monday and Tuesday, they issued a stop order to companies signed contracts with the US International Development Agency and the State Department.
The termination letter from the two contractors obtained by the CBS news wrote: “This letter is to inform you that since January 28, 2025, your work with (Federal Contract holder) will be terminated due to layoffs. Unfortunately, (the federal contract holder) has received a stop work order. If there is no right to perform the power, we have no job for you. “
There is a language reading in the termination letter: “We hope this situation is temporary, you can return to your own position.” However, the employee email account of the US International Development Agency and the contracting company is closed, and the termination letter is sent to it after the termination letter is sent to it Personal email.
A source said that once Rubio issued an order, the staff of the US International Development Agency scrambled to submit an exemption application.
The source said: “Then they accompany the leadership of the US International Development Agency. The exemption process is a joke.”
Another source of the agency said: “The US International Development Agency is absolutely eliminated.” “This is a surgery for stopping procedures. Life is threatened here. We are endangering life.”
State Council spokesman Tammy Bruce told reporters later on Tuesday that “provided templates for exemption requests.” Bruce also responded with a line in the original Rubio command: “The specific exemptions include the exemptions include include exemptions include Emergency food aid for foreign military financing in Israel and Egypt and the secretary of the secretary approved for exemption. ”
However, the State Council has not been exempted automatically on some US -funded foreign aid plans, or whether it must apply for exemption globally to try to get our funds again. Associated Press and Reuters Later on Tuesday, Lubero now approves for exemption, which is suitable for “medical services, medical services, food, residences and self -sufficient assistance”.
In the copy of the initial order obtained by the CBS news last Friday, Rubio told all the diplomatic and consular positions in the United States to immediately release the “stop work” for the foreign aid award, “to be determined to be the Secretary of State.
Rubio also said in accordance with his initial order, the suspension “exception” approved by the Foreign Aid Office of the State Council was also exempted without further explaining what these exceptions were. CBS News learned that former Deputy Assistant Secretary Pete Marocco In the Pentagon, The senior role of the State Council is now in the State Council Foreign Aid Office -In internal called “F” -Surprising foreign aid programs managed by the State Council and the US International Development Agency.
A sources of an affected U.S. International Development Agency said: “I am very frustrated about what has just happened.” They said: “We like what we do and how it contributes to helping people from all over the world. Respect this A change and “looking forward to establishing relations with the new government with better benefits.”
Now, the two current US International Development Agency contractors have deep attention to the health of life. In one case, frequent work travel has intensified, and suddenly after the end of Friday Own.
Another USAID contractor said: “Our contractor may have paid for two weeks of salary. Or at least until next week, we can get health insurance before February.” “This is the end of the world. At the beginning, each email felt like a threat, and then they followed up. “Sources added that in the office on Monday and Tuesday,” people feel confused and BA’s obscene … people are afraid. I don’t know what to do. “
Many contractors of the US International Development Agency also ended last week Diversity, fairness and tolerance planEssence These include the individual who is not DEI consultant, or does not have the main work functions related to DEI, but it may help the work of the collective workplace and focus on the tolerance and accessibility of the Biden government.
The termination letter sent to those employees last Thursday night wrote: “The US International Development Agency will no longer need to now implement the services that you are currently executed on the contract. As of today, the US International Development Agency is termination of funds for this position.”
Multiple sources also told CBS News that in several US International Development Agency’s accessories in the Washington Special Economic Zone, photos and beneficiaries hanging in the institutional plan were deprived of the walls. A source said that deleting photos is a “not normal agreement” between the management department.
A source said: “They are in physical demolition in buildings.” The third place said: “They are eliminating our existence.”
The contractor of the Global Health Administration of the United States International Health (responsible for the treatment of HIV/AIDS treatment, maternal and child health, malaria, tuberculosis and other infectious diseases) is a person who has received a firing notice on Tuesday. According to the sources of two sources, about 450 technical experts from all contractors of the Global Health Bureau terminated. These contractors account for about 50 % of the entire USAID global health personnel, and there are still about 450 direct employees in the bureau.
President’s AIDS Relief Program (Pepfar) began in 2003 by George W. Bush stop Since Rubio issued the order, it is possible to interrupt antiviral drugs (ARV) for millions of HIV and AIDS patients around the world. According to the State Council, Pepfar started 26 million people’s lives.
Although the results of the 90 -day review may be refused, the advocate is also increasingly worried that Congress’s support for Pepfar is due to the revelation of this month, that is, groups receiving assistance and assistance for infringement. This is illegal to the law. Behavior US law. Reuters It is reported that since 2021, Mozambique’s four nurses have held 21 abortion. This revelation may also be part of the upcoming State Council review.
A source told Colombia Broadcasting Corporation News that at present, 20.6 million people around the world are in life drugs. Therefore, the freezing of US aid funds may lead to “thousands of deaths, especially for women and children, depending on women and children. Children’s death. ”
Sources added: “This is a crime to human beings.”
A former USAID employee said: “This removal is unprecedented, which pose a threat to our national security, reduce the security of the United States, and it seems (it seems) to avoid Congress power.”
Another source of frozen federal assistance said: “For me, this is hostile to our democracy.” “The US International Development Agency is only the first casualties. But it is more coming. Do you like to play for any purpose. “
The report made contributions.