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USAID Headquarters Shut Down, Employees Told To Stay Home After Trump’s Order

USAID staff were instructed to work remotely after its headquarters was reportedly closed. The move follows Trump's order and Elon Musk’s push to dismantle the agency, sparking criticism from Democrats and global aid groups.

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USAID Headquarters Shut Down, Employees Told To Stay Home After Trump’s Order

United States Agency for International Development (USAID) headquarters in Washington, DC, was reportedly shut down on Monday, with employees instructed to work remotely as Donald Trump’s administration advances efforts to dismantle the agency.

According to reports from Devex, USAID staff received late-night emails on Sunday advising them not to report to work. The closure followed the suspension of two top security officials who attempted to block representatives from Elon Musk’s “Department of Government Efficiency” (DOGE) from accessing restricted areas of the building.

Musk, tasked by Trump with streamlining federal operations, announced Monday that the president had approved his proposal to shut down USAID, the world’s largest single provider of foreign aid. The agency oversees nearly $43 billion in humanitarian assistance for over 130 countries, including programs for health, energy security, and disaster relief.

The Trump administration has already frozen most foreign aid under his “America First” policy, which risks crucial programs, including field hospitals in refugee camps and treatments for diseases like HIV/AIDS. Critics, including Democratic Senator Elizabeth Warren, have decried the move, threatening severe humanitarian consequences.

In a controversial development, Doge personnel described as a team of young and inexperienced engineers also gained access to the US Treasury’s sensitive financial systems, raising concerns about potential conflicts of interest.

While Trump and Musk reportedly plan to integrate USAID’s budget into the State Department, no official statement has been issued by the White House. The closure of USAID comes as the president returns to Washington amid escalating trade tensions with Canada, China, and Mexico.