Please ensure Javascript is enabled for purposes of website accessibility

US Consumer Spending Falls as Trump Tariff’s Muddle Economy

18 hours ago

US Supreme Court Lets Parents Take Kids Out of Classes With LGBT Storybooks

19 hours ago

In Win for Trump, US Supreme Court Limits Judges’ Power to Block Birthright Citizenship Order

21 hours ago

California’s Newsom Sues Fox News for $787 Million for Defamation Over Trump Call

21 hours ago

Motorcycle Collides With Tractor in Fatal Fresno County Collision

21 hours ago

Fourth of July Celebrations Begin Saturday. Here’s Your Fresno Area Guide

23 hours ago

Bill Moyers, Broadcaster and LBJ’s White House Press Secretary, Dies at 91

2 days ago

State Department Approves $30 Million for Gaza Humanitarian Foundation

2 days ago

Cargo Ship That Caught Fire Carrying Electric Vehicles Sinks in the Pacific

2 days ago

4 Million Acres of California Forests Could Lose Protection. What Trump’s ‘Roadless Rule’ Repeal Could Do

3 days ago
Judge Blocks Trump From Placing 2,200 USAID Workers on Paid Leave
gvw_ap_news
By Associated Press
Published 5 months ago on
February 7, 2025

A street sign with names of U.S. government agencies housed at the Ronald Regan Building, including the United States Agency for International Development, or USAID headquarters in Washington, is pictured with one building occupant taped, Friday, Feb. 7, 2025, in Washington. (AP/Manuel Balce Ceneta)

Share

Getting your Trinity Audio player ready...

WASHINGTON — A federal judge on Friday temporarily blocked the Trump administration from placing 2,200 employees of the U.S. Agency for International Development on paid leave.

U.S. District Judge Carl Nichols, who was nominated by President Donald Trump, sided with two federal employee associations in agreeing to a pause in plans to put the employees on paid leave as of midnight Friday.

The workers associations argue that Trump lacks the authority for his swift dismantling of a six-decade-old aid agency enshrined in congressional legislation.

“CLOSE IT DOWN,” Trump said Friday on social media of USAID.

Crews used duct tape to block out the agency’s name on a sign outside its Washington headquarters Friday, and a flag was taken down. Someone placed a bouquet of flowers outside the door.

USAID Officials Dispute Rubio’s Assertions

A group of a half-dozen USAID officials speaking to reporters Friday strongly disputed assertions from Secretary of State Marco Rubio that the most essential life-saving programs abroad were getting waivers to continue. With all but several hundred staffers forced out and funding stopped, the agency has “ceased to exist,” one official on the call said.

The Trump administration and billionaire ally Elon Musk, who is running a budget-cutting Department of Government Efficiency, have targeted USAID hardest so far in an unprecedented challenge of the federal government and many of its programs.

The administration told remaining USAID officials on Thursday afternoon that it planned to exempt 297 employees from global leave and furloughs ordered for at least 8,000 staffers and contractors, according to USAID staffers and officials.

Late that night, a new list was finalized of 611 employees to remain on the job, many of them to manage the return home of thousands of staffers, contractors and their families abroad, the officials said. Justice Department lawyer, Brett Shumate, confirmed the 611 figure in court.

The USAID officials and staffers spoke on condition of anonymity due to a Trump administration order barring them from talking publicly.

Some of the remaining staffers and contractors, along with an unknown number of 5,000 locally hired employees abroad, would run the few life-saving programs that the administration says it intends to keep going for now.

Not Clear if Reductions Are Permanent or Temporary

It was not immediately clear whether the reductions would be permanent or temporary, potentially allowing more workers to return after what the Trump administration says will be a review of which aid and development programs it wants to resume.

Trump and Musk have spoken of moving surviving programs under the State Department.

Within the State Department itself, employees fear substantial staff reductions following the deadline for the Trump administration’s offer of financial incentives for federal workers to resign, according to officials who spoke on condition of anonymity for fear of reprisal. A judge temporarily blocked that offer and set a hearing Monday.

At USAID, among the programs officials said had not received waivers: $450 million in food grown by U.S. farmers sufficient to feed 36 million people, which was not being paid for or delivered; and water supplies for 1.6 million people displaced by war in Sudan’s Darfur region, which were being cut off without money for fuel to run water pumps in the desert.

The administration earlier this week gave almost all USAID staffers posted overseas 30 days, starting Friday, to return to the U.S., with the government paying for their travel and moving costs. Diplomats at embassies asked for waivers allowing more time for some, including families forced to pull their children out of schools midyear.

Notice Posted on USAID Website

In a notice posted on the USAID website late Thursday, the agency clarified that none of the overseas personnel put on leave would be forced to leave the country where they work. But it said that workers who chose to stay longer than 30 days might have to cover their own expenses unless they received a specific hardship waiver.

Rubio said Thursday during a trip to the Dominican Republic that the government would help staffers get home within 30 days “if they so desired” and would listen to those with special conditions.

He insisted the moves were the only way to get cooperation because staffers were working “to sneak through payments and push through payments despite the stop order” on foreign assistance. Agency staffers deny his claims of obstruction.

Rubio said the U.S. government will continue providing foreign aid, “but it is going to be foreign aid that makes sense and is aligned with our national interest.”

Democratic lawmakers and others call the move illegal without congressional approval.

The same argument was made by the American Foreign Service Association and the American Federation of Government Employees in their lawsuit filed late Thursday. It asks the federal court in Washington to compel the reopening of USAID’s buildings, return its staffers to work and restore funding.

Government officials “failed to acknowledge the catastrophic consequences of their actions, both as they pertain to American workers, the lives of millions around the world, and to US national interests,” the suit says.

RELATED TOPICS:

DON'T MISS

What Are Fresno Real Estate Experts Predicting for 2025 and Beyond?

DON'T MISS

First California EV Mandates Hit Automakers This Year. Most Are Not Even Close

DON'T MISS

Trump Sends in DOGE to Slash Federal Gun Regulations by July 4

DON'T MISS

Tensions Flare at Announcement of Major Fresno County Gang Takedown

DON'T MISS

Measure C ‘Blackmailed’ As Fresno Enviro Coalition Gets Huge Say on Transportation Tax

DON'T MISS

Despite $49M Deficit, Fresno Unified Gives Top Brass 5% Raise, 3% One-Time Bonus

DON'T MISS

US Consumer Spending Falls as Trump Tariff’s Muddle Economy

DON'T MISS

US Supreme Court Preserves Key Element of Obamacare

DON'T MISS

US Supreme Court Lets Parents Take Kids Out of Classes With LGBT Storybooks

DON'T MISS

Fresno Unified Trustees Will Get Automatic Raises on Tuesday

DON'T MISS

Alleged ‘Fake’ ICE Agents Charged. Fresno Court Date Set

DON'T MISS

In Win for Trump, US Supreme Court Limits Judges’ Power to Block Birthright Citizenship Order

UP NEXT

Tensions Flare at Announcement of Major Fresno County Gang Takedown

UP NEXT

Measure C ‘Blackmailed’ As Fresno Enviro Coalition Gets Huge Say on Transportation Tax

UP NEXT

US Consumer Spending Falls as Trump Tariff’s Muddle Economy

UP NEXT

US Supreme Court Preserves Key Element of Obamacare

UP NEXT

US Supreme Court Lets Parents Take Kids Out of Classes With LGBT Storybooks

UP NEXT

Fresno Unified Trustees Will Get Automatic Raises on Tuesday

UP NEXT

Alleged ‘Fake’ ICE Agents Charged. Fresno Court Date Set

UP NEXT

In Win for Trump, US Supreme Court Limits Judges’ Power to Block Birthright Citizenship Order

UP NEXT

California’s Newsom Sues Fox News for $787 Million for Defamation Over Trump Call

UP NEXT

Motorcycle Collides With Tractor in Fatal Fresno County Collision

Despite $49M Deficit, Fresno Unified Gives Top Brass 5% Raise, 3% One-Time Bonus

16 hours ago

US Consumer Spending Falls as Trump Tariff’s Muddle Economy

18 hours ago

US Supreme Court Preserves Key Element of Obamacare

19 hours ago

US Supreme Court Lets Parents Take Kids Out of Classes With LGBT Storybooks

19 hours ago

Fresno Unified Trustees Will Get Automatic Raises on Tuesday

20 hours ago

Alleged ‘Fake’ ICE Agents Charged. Fresno Court Date Set

20 hours ago

In Win for Trump, US Supreme Court Limits Judges’ Power to Block Birthright Citizenship Order

21 hours ago

California’s Newsom Sues Fox News for $787 Million for Defamation Over Trump Call

21 hours ago

Motorcycle Collides With Tractor in Fatal Fresno County Collision

21 hours ago

Ringo Is Ready to Rock Your World With ‘Pawsitive’ Vibes!

21 hours ago

Trump Sends in DOGE to Slash Federal Gun Regulations by July 4

WASHINGTON — The U.S. Department of Government Efficiency has sent staff to the agency that enforces federal gun laws with the goal of revis...

14 hours ago

American Flag Revolver
14 hours ago

Trump Sends in DOGE to Slash Federal Gun Regulations by July 4

Rob_Bonta_Speaking_At_Press_Conference_1280x720
15 hours ago

Tensions Flare at Announcement of Major Fresno County Gang Takedown

Garry_Bredefeld_Sandra_Celedon_Mesure_C_1280x720
16 hours ago

Measure C ‘Blackmailed’ As Fresno Enviro Coalition Gets Huge Say on Transportation Tax

Fresno_Unified_Raises_1280x720
16 hours ago

Despite $49M Deficit, Fresno Unified Gives Top Brass 5% Raise, 3% One-Time Bonus

Eastern Market in Washington, D.C.
18 hours ago

US Consumer Spending Falls as Trump Tariff’s Muddle Economy

Obamacare Sign in San Ysidro, California
19 hours ago

US Supreme Court Preserves Key Element of Obamacare

Pride Flags Fly in New York
19 hours ago

US Supreme Court Lets Parents Take Kids Out of Classes With LGBT Storybooks

20 hours ago

Fresno Unified Trustees Will Get Automatic Raises on Tuesday

Help continue the work that gets you the news that matters most.

Search

Send this to a friend