Dozens of USAID career civil servants put on administrative leave
The action targeted senior leadership across the agency, including top lawyers, three sources told NBC News.
More than 50 civil career servants and foreign service officers at the U.S. Agency for International Development were placed on administrative leave Monday afternoon effective immediately, two former USAID officials, a current agency official and a source directly familiar with the decision told NBC News.
In addition to striking at senior leadership in bureaus across the agency, the action specifically targeted senior attorneys, according to the two former USAID officials and a current official.
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USAID employees were informed of the decision late Monday afternoon.
“We have identified several actions within USAID that appear to be designed to circumvent the President’s Executive Orders and the mandate from the American people,” said the email from acting USAID Administrator Jason Gray, which was obtained by NBC News. “As a result, we have placed a number of USAID employees on administrative leave with full pay and benefits until further notice while we complete our analysis of these actions.”
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