The Federal Court issued a “very limited” temporary order stopping by President Donald Trump’s plan to suffocate the International Development Agency of the United States (USAID).
The judge issued a limiting command that would block 2,200 employees to be placed on administrative leave, which scheduled on Friday at midnight. USAID employs about 10,000 people, two of whom work abroad.
The employees of the agency employees, which is the main foreign development organization of the US government, have submitted an emergency petition with the aim of stopping the plan for the vast majority of their labor force.
About 611 employees would constantly work under the plan of Trump and billionaire Elon Musk.
Trump singled out the agency because he is a long -term critic of overseas spending, claiming that USAID It is not worth the use of taxpayers’ money.
It is one of the many federal agencies that Trump’s target administration because it acts on reducing federal consumption in the United States.
Trump advocated for the overhaul of the Government and formed an advisory body called the Ministry of Efficiency of the Government (Doge) – led Musk – to reduce the budget.
Friday District by American District Judge Carl Nichols In Washington, DC came after the US Association for Foreign Service filed a lawsuit and the US Federation of Government employees – two unions representing agency employees.
Judge Nichols, whom Trump appointed during his first term, said the written order would be published later.
The lawsuit claimed that the president violated the US Constitution and Federal Law trying to disassemble the agency. “None of the actions of the accused of removing USAIDs have been taken in accordance with the authorization of the Congress,” it was said.
“And in accordance with the Federal Statute, the Congress is the only subject to legally disassemble the agency.”
On Thursday, Trump’s administration sent a notice to employees in USAID that this Planned to retain 611 essential employees.
The Officer of the Ministry of Justice, Brett Shumate, told the judge that Trump “decided to have corruption and fraud on USAID.”
On Friday, officials removed and covered the signs of USAIDs with the Washington organization headquarters.
Some left signs and flowers near covered logo – one with a tombstone in USAID. His office in the US capital has been closed all week.
A few hours after Trump took his duty on January 20, he signed an executive order that stopped all the side of help until such funds were checked and aligned with his “America First” policy.
This has led to stopping a work order on the USAID, which in turn compensated for the global assistance system As hundreds of programs are frozen in countries around the world.
On Thursday, Trump posted on his social platform of the truth: “USAID drives a radical left crazy.
“Corruption is on levels that are rarely seen before. Close it!”
The US are by far the only only humanitarian aid provider around the world. There are bases in more than 60 countries and works in dozens of others, with most of the work performed by performers.
According to Government data, the US spent $ 68 billion (£ 55 billion) on international assistance in 2023.
This total amount is spreading to several departments and agencies, but the USAID budget accounts for more than half of about $ 40 billion – this is about 0.6% of the total US annual costs of the state of $ 6.75.
Former USAID chiefs criticized the reported plan of reduction. One of them, Gayle Smith, emphasized the BBC that they were always the fastest to arrive now during the humanitarian crises around the world.
“When you get it all out, you send some very dangerous messages,” Smith said. “Now signals that we honestly don’t care if people live or die and that we are not a reliable partner.”
