USAID employees were told to stay out of the agency’s Washington headquarters on Monday, as per a notice given to them, following billionaire Elon Musk's claim that President Donald Trump had agreed with him to close the agency, reports AP.
USAID workers also reported that more than 600 employees had been locked out of the agency’s computer systems overnight. Those still logged in received emails informing them that, “at the direction of Agency leadership,” the headquarters would be closed to personnel on Monday, February 3.
USAID website goes offline in Trump administration's 2-week-old freeze on foreign aid worldwide
These events followed Musk’s announcement early Monday that he had spoken with Trump about the U.S. Agency for International Development, which has been in operation for over 60 years, and that Trump had agreed with his view that it should be shut down. Musk commented in a live session on X Spaces, saying that the agency was beyond repair, likening it to "a ball of worms" rather than "an apple with a worm in it," and stating, “We’re shutting it down.”
Musk, Trump, and several Republican lawmakers have increasingly criticised USAID, which manages humanitarian, development, and security programs in over 120 countries, accusing it of advancing liberal agendas.
Over the weekend, the Trump administration placed two senior USAID security officials on leave after they refused to provide Musk's government-inspection teams with classified material from restricted areas, according to a current and a former U.S. official.
Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) had previously conducted a similar operation at the Treasury Department, gaining access to sensitive information, including data related to Social Security and Medicare payments. This led to the resignation of a senior Treasury official.
Elon Musk's DOGE commission gains access to sensitive Treasury payment systems: AP sources
Democratic lawmakers have expressed concerns, arguing that Trump does not have the constitutional authority to shut down USAID without Congress’s approval. They have also condemned Musk’s access to sensitive government data during his inspections of federal agencies.
USAID’s website disappeared on Saturday without explanation and has become a major target in the Trump administration’s crackdown on federal agencies and their programs.
Trump, speaking about USAID on Sunday night, described it as “run by a bunch of radical lunatics” and said, “We’re getting them out.”
These comments from Musk and Trump came while Secretary of State Marco Rubio was abroad in Central America on his first overseas trip. Rubio has not publicly commented on any plans to close USAID.
The Trump administration, alongside Rubio, has enforced an unprecedented freeze on foreign assistance, halting many of USAID’s global aid programs, leading to widespread layoffs in aid organizations and causing significant cuts to the agency's staff in Washington.
Peter Marocco, a returning political appointee from Trump’s first term, played a key role in enforcing the shutdown. USAID employees suspect that individuals with visitor badges asking questions inside the headquarters are part of Musk’s DOGE team.
Elon Musk’s X to launch Digital Wallet with Visa partnership
Democratic Senator Elizabeth Warren expressed concern on Sunday, stating that Trump was allowing Musk to access personal information and shut down government funding, urging action to protect people from harm, though she did not provide further details.