Abandoned, without a job and with an uncertain return home — that’s the scenario for a multitude of overseas staff doing the humanitarian work of the U.S. Agency for International Development.
“We may be totally isolated and left overseas to fend for ourselves,” one American USAID contractor, who asked to speak anonymously, tells PEOPLE.
The double whammy hurts: Being dismissed in an instant after working abroad representing American interests, in some cases for decades, on top of seeing life saving efforts like fighting Ebola, feeding malnourished children, and promoting human rights topple like a house of cards.
“To be treated like a criminal after the services that we’ve done for our country over the past decade is eye-opening, and right now we’re in a bit of panic mode,” says another overseas USAID contractor. “Where will we end up tomorrow? This vilification will stay with us for a very long time.”
The quagmire created by shuttering USAID will have profound, lasting global effects. On Feb. 6, USAID workers were reduced from over 10,000 to 290, according to a former senior official for the organization.
“They are people who are real patriots,” said New York Rep. Gregory Meeks at a Feb. 5 USAID rally. “They are the people that put their families at risk to make sure that we are helping people around the world so that we can also stay safe here at home.”
America’s Soft Power Tool
Earlier this week, President Trump said USAID is run by “radical lunatics.” Staffers say that’s false. As the lead international humanitarian and development arm of the U.S. government since 1961, the group has enjoyed advocacy across the aisle.
“The work I do is bipartisan — I’ve had a lot of congressional support for it in recent years,” says one long-term USAID contractor. “The deafening silence from the Republicans in Congress, combined with Secretary Rubio’s desire to actually go forward and paint us as insubordinate is where I feel particularly betrayed.”
Democrat members of Congress participated in rallies this week to bemoan the dangers of whittling down USAID. Many are quick to point out that the People’s Republic of China (PRC) and Russia are only too happy to step up and fill the role USAID plays globally to garner support.
“This harms our reputation and credibility with countries around the world, and we know the PRC will fill the void we’ve created and be able to make gains with the Global South, including on the African continent where we should be doing more, not less,” California Rep. Sara Jacobs tells PEOPLE.
“Where this is being celebrated right now is Beijing,” Virginia Sen. Mark Warner said at a Feb. 5 rally in support of USAID.
Some Republicans concede USAID’s effectiveness when it comes to national security.
“I have felt for a long time that USAID is our way to combat the Belt and Road initiative, which is China’s effort to really gain influence around the world,” Mississippi Sen. Roger Wicker, chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee, told CBS on Feb. 3.
Former USAID team members fear without their efforts to build relationships globally, U.S. national security and carefully forged alliances will suffer.
“There are going to be lots of organizations and governments that USAID has supported who are not going to be able to do the positive work that we were doing with them and they’re going to be looking for other partners to fill that gap, whether that is the People’s Republic of China, whether that is Russia or other non-allies of the U.S.,” warns a former senior official.
False Accusations
The White House called USAID’s efforts “ridiculous — and, in many cases, malicious — pet projects,” according to a Feb. 3 press release. Among the expenses noted were $47,000 for a transgender opera in Colombia, $32,000 for a transgender comic in Peru and $70,000 for a DEI musical in Ireland. All false, according to two former senior USAID officials who say the organization did not fund these activities.
“I know for a fact that many of those examples falsely identify USAID as the funder when USAID didn’t fund that activity or wasn’t funding any LGBTQI+ work in that country,” says a former senior USAID official.
Also, the White House press release noted that $2 million was spent for gender-affirmation surgery and “LGBT activism” in Guatemala, when in fact, no funding from USAID has been used for gender-affirming care, several former senior USAID officials say.
They note that USAID’s budget represents 1% of the total U.S. federal budget, a small price to pay for the friendship, influence and global stability the group garners.
“The misrepresentation of USAID activities has been, unfortunately, quite successful in making the public not understand the positive impact that USAID has done around the world,” says a former senior official for USAID.
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USAID’s former Bureau for Humanitarian Assistance leader Sarah Charles says the stakes are life or death for the work USAID did.
“The vast majority of foreign assistance programmed by USAID is for life-saving humanitarian work—emergency food assistance, emergency healthcare, support for victims of sexual violence, critical global health programs,” Charles says, adding, “I’m gutted.”
“People will starve, babies will die, and poverty will skyrocket,” says Rep. Jacobs.
Ultimately, most of USAID’s financial resources are earmarked to further U.S. priorities internationally.
“The vast majority of the money we spend is focused on our own interests and helping to maintain our number one status in the world,” says a former senior USAID official.
The damage done from USAID’s rapid reduction, both to the thousands of staff members abroad and to global allies, will be difficult to recover from, former staff notes.
“After this, I don’t know if people are going to work with America again,” says a former USAID leader. “I’m worried about these thousands of people and their children around the world who are going to wake up and question their relationship with America — that’s kind of a big security risk.”
Next Steps
Democrats in Congress, as well as blindsided USAID staff, question the legality of the White House’s actions breaking apart the 64-year-old organization.
“A president is dissolving an agency without congressional approval,” says a former senior USAID official, adding that Trump cannot unilaterally override a statute by executive order. “And if they dissolve USAID, they can dissolve Social Security; they can dissolve Medicare; they can dissolve every type of federal program.”
Thousands of miles away at USAID outposts around the globe, panic, betrayal and bewilderment pervade. As staffers consider next steps for passion-filled careers that are suddenly expendable, the desire to serve their government is understandably shaken.
“I have no interest in being dehumanized and treated like this going forward,” says one USAID diplomat overseas. “I’d rather drive an Uber, to be honest.”
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