Court blocks Trumpʼs plan to furlough thousands of the USAID employees

A US court has temporarily suspended the implementation of the President Donald Trumpʼs administrationʼs order to furlough 2 200 employees of the United States Agency for International Development (USAID).

The BBC writes about this.

The decision came hours before Trumpʼs order was set to take effect. The injunction will now be in effect for a week, until February 14. Until then, no more USAID employees can be furloughed.

Two labour unions filed a lawsuit, arguing that Trumpʼs decision violates the US Constitution and that USAID employees will suffer harm. The court agreed.

In addition, the decision reinstates 500 employees who had already been placed on administrative leave.

• USAID is the worldʼs largest donor. In fiscal year 2023, the United States provided $72 billion in assistance worldwide. The agency was founded in 1961 under President John F. Kennedy. It provides billions of dollars each year to end poverty, treat disease, and respond to famine and natural disasters, as well as to build and develop democracy by supporting non-governmental organizations, independent media, and social initiatives.
• On January 20, the day of his inauguration, the US President Donald Trump froze USAID initiatives for 90 days. After that, the Agencyʼs employees began to be placed on administrative leave without pay. The New York Times, citing sources, wrote that the Trump administration wants to reduce the number of USAID employees from more than 10 000 to 290 — that is, by a factor of 34.

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