The administration of U.S. President Donald Trump has initiated a large-scale dismissal of employees at the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID).

In a notification released on Sunday, USAID confirmed that all direct-hire personnel, except those designated for mission-critical functions and leadership roles, would be placed on administrative leave worldwide.

“Concurrently, USAID is beginning to implement a Reduction-in-Force that will affect approximately 1,600 USAID personnel with duty stations in the United States,” the agency stated.

As part of the transition, USAID is arranging fully funded flights for overseas personnel to return home.

Employees will maintain access to agency systems and diplomatic channels until they reach their respective countries.

This move could see thousands of workers lose their jobs as the agency faces potential closure.

The cuts follow growing criticism of USAID from figures within the Trump administration, including U.S. entrepreneur and Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) chief Elon Musk, who recently described the agency as a “criminal organization” that “needs to die.”

Musk claimed that Trump had agreed to shut down USAID, a position that DOGE later reinforced by stating they were “already in the process” of closing the agency.

The decision to dismantle USAID marks a significant shift in U.S. foreign aid policy, raising concerns about the future of American-led international development efforts.

USAID has long played a central role in global humanitarian and economic assistance, and its potential closure could have far-reaching consequences for aid-dependent nations and diplomatic relations.