The Trump administration has escalated its restructuring of USAID by ordering staff to hastily retrieve personal belongings from their Washington, D.C., offices. Agency leadership issued a directive this week granting employees just 15 minutes during assigned time slots on February 27-28, 2025, to clear their desks at the Ronald Reagan Building.
An official email posted to USAID’s website outlines stringent security protocols, listing prohibited items ranging from office tools to unconventional entries like ski poles and liquid bleach.
It sounds like they think we're going to try to stage a Jan. 6-style 'peaceful protest',one frustrated staffer told ABC News, highlighting growing tensions between workers and administration officials.
The controversial measures coincide with:
- 1,600 humanitarian bureau employees receiving termination notices
- Thousands of overseas staff placed on administrative leave
- A workforce reduction from 10,000+ to under 8,400 employees
Security protocols for the retrieval process have drawn particular scrutiny. While prohibited items have always been restricted for uncredentialed visitors, career diplomats argue the explicit list – including swords and nunchucks – implies distrust of long-term staffers. Agency veterans describe feeling treated like violent criminals despite years of foreign aid service.
This rapid dismantling follows President Trump’s 2024 campaign pledge to streamlineinternational development programs. Critics warn the staff purge could cripple USAID’s ability to coordinate disaster relief and global health initiatives. With specialized teams being dissolved worldwide, experts predict lasting impacts on U.S. soft power and humanitarian response capabilities.