USAID Staff Ordered to Stay Away from Washington HQ Amid Shutdown Threat

Washington D.C: That U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) staff were instructed to stay away from the agency’s Washington headquarters on Monday, following a directive after Elon Musk announced that President Donald Trump had agreed with him to shut down the agency according to Voice of America.

USAID employees also reported being locked out of the agency’s computer systems overnight, with over 600 employees affected. Those who remained in the system received emails notifying them that, “at the direction of Agency leadership,” the headquarters building would be closed to personnel on Monday, February 3.

The developments come after Musk, who is leading a civilian review of the federal government with Trump’s support, stated earlier that he had discussed USAID with the president. Musk said Trump agreed that the agency should be shut down. In a live session on X Spaces, Musk described USAID as “beyond repair,” saying, “It’s not an apple with a worm in it. What we have is just a ball of worms. You’ve got to basically get rid of the whole thing. We’re shutting it down.”

Musk, Trump, and some Republican lawmakers have increasingly criticized USAID, accusing it of promoting liberal causes while overseeing humanitarian, development, and security programs in over 120 countries.

According to VOA, over the weekend, the Trump administration placed two top security chiefs at USAID on leave after they refused to turn over classified materials from restricted areas to Musk’s government-inspection teams. Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) had previously conducted a similar operation at the Treasury Department, gaining access to sensitive data, including Social Security and Medicare information. The Washington Post reported that a senior Treasury official resigned due to the unauthorized access.

Democratic lawmakers have raised concerns, arguing that Trump lacks constitutional authority to shut down USAID without congressional approval. They also criticized Musk’s team for accessing sensitive government-held data during the inspections of federal agencies.

USAID’s website vanished on Saturday without explanation, adding to concerns about the agency’s future. It has been a major target of the Trump administration’s ongoing crackdown on federal agencies and programs.

Trump’s statement on Sunday night reflected his stance, calling USAID “run by a bunch of radical lunatics,” adding, “We’re getting them out.”

The comments from Musk and Trump came while Secretary of State Marco Rubio was abroad in Central America on his first official overseas trip. Rubio has not publicly commented on any plans to shut down USAID.

In response to the administration’s actions, Democratic Sen. Elizabeth Warren expressed concern on Sunday, stating that Trump was allowing Musk to access personal information and halt government funding. “We must do everything in our power to push back and protect people from harm,” Warren said, although she did not provide further details.

USAID has faced significant challenges under the Trump administration, including an unprecedented freeze on foreign assistance and the closure of many of the agency’s programs worldwide. Thousands of layoffs have followed, with furloughs and departures impacting the agency’s leadership and operations in Washington.

Peter Marocco, a returning political appointee from Trump’s first term, has been a key figure in enforcing the shutdown. USAID staffers believe that individuals with visitors’ badges seen questioning employees at the Washington headquarters may be part of Musk’s DOGE team.