Labor unions sue Trump administration over USAID workforce cuts

ISTANBUL

Two labor unions representing employees at the US Agency for International Development (USAID) filed a lawsuit Thursday against the Trump administration, challenging its moves to scale back the agency’s workforce and freeze foreign aid, CNN reported.

According to the report, the lawsuit was brought by Democracy Forward and the Public Citizen Litigation Group on behalf of the American Foreign Service Association and the American Federation of Government Employees.

The lawsuit, filed in federal court in Washington, alleges that President Donald Trump is overstepping his authority by pushing sweeping changes that could eliminate thousands of jobs and halt humanitarian assistance worldwide, report said.

The legal action also names Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, and their respective agencies as defendants.

According to CNN, USAID employees have been informed that most of the agency’s workforce will be placed on administrative leave or terminated by the end of the week, with fewer than 300 staff members expected to remain. An internal email, cited by multiple sources, indicated that nearly all direct hires would be put on leave by Friday at 11.59 pm ET (0459GMT Saturday).

The USAID is under political scrutiny as the Trump administration considers merging it with the State Department in an effort to streamline federal bureaucracy.

On Jan. 20, the White House announced a freeze on USAID’s budget, citing concerns over misaligned priorities.

Trump suspended development assistance for 90 days to evaluate its alignment with his "America First" policy, a move that has sparked concern among global aid organizations.

A White House statement asserted that USAID’s initiatives “do not align with American interests” and, in some cases, “destabilize world peace.”