USAID workers at Washington HQ told to stay home on Monday in unexpected e-mail in the morning

Cnn
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The head office for US Agency for International Development In Washington, unexpectedly closed Monday and the workers were sent shortly after midnight that they should not come in, according to several sources familiar with the case.

“In the direction of the Agency’s leadership, USAID will headquarters in the Ronald Reagan building in Washington, DC be closed to agency staff on Monday, February 3, 2025. Site and building maintenance functions that were individually contacted by senior management, ”said the email where CNN has received a copy.

It is the latest ominous sign of the long -standing international aid agency that has found itself in President Donald Trump’s cross and Elon Musk’s efforts to reform the federal government. Trump and his allies have said that the agency, created by Congress as an independent body, is obviously partically and favorable to the Democrats.

In a conversation on X -Rum early on Monday, Tech entrepreneur said Trump agrees that the agency should be “closed” after speculation about sites over its future after its funding was frozen and dozens of its employees were put on leave. Musk said he controlled with Trump “a few times,” and Trump confirmed he wants to close the agency, which hand out billions in humanitarian help and development financing annually. CNN has reached the White House and USAID for comment.

Sunday night, before the X -Rufe conversation, when Trump was asked for a comment to USAID, Trump told journalists: “It has been driven by a bunch of radical madmen and we get them out and then we make a decision” about its future .

Over the weekend, two top security officials in USAID were put on administrative leave to deny members of the Department of Government Efficiency Access to Systems on the Agency, even when Doge staff threatened to call law enforcement, said several sources who are familiar with the situation , to Cnn.

The DOGE staff wanted to access USAID security systems and staff files, three sources said. Two of these sources also said that the Doge staff wanted access to classified information that only those with security preparations and a specific need to know are able to access.

Three sources told CNN that the Doge staff eventually were eventually able to access the headquarters. Katie Miller, whom Trump appointed to DOE in December, on Sunday seemed to confirm that Doge staff had access to classified information.

“There was no access to any classified material without proper safety preparations,” she posted at X.

USAID logos and photos showing the humanitarian work that the agency performs across the globe was removed from its offices last week, several sources familiar with the situation told CNN.

“All the visuals are taken down. These are like large photos of our work in developing countries that are in our lobbies, in our galleys, in municipal kitchens, times, ”said a USAID employee. “An order also came down to individual agencies and offices to remove all USAID works and signage.”

Another USAID -Worker said to CNN: “They have taken the pictures from the walls and we are missing half of our colleagues because our colleagues are gone and have been released and everyone feels like they are walking around with a goal on their backs . ”

A source that works in a USAID -anks building told CNN that they have no word about whether to go to work on Monday.

When asked if leaders in their department seemed to have more information about the agency’s work, the source said: “Our senior leaders have all been fired.”

About 60 senior USAID staff were put on leave last week on allegations of attempts to bypass Trump’s executive order to freeze foreign aid for 90 days. Many more junior staff and contractors within the agency have also been placed on Furlough, several sources told CNN.

On Saturday, the USA’s site got dark and a new page for the agency appeared on the state department’s website. The USA’s X account also went offline on Saturday, and a source told CNN that the entire USAID Public Affairs Office was put on leave and locked out of their systems.

Shortly after he was sworn last month, Trump issued a sweeping executive order pauses all foreign aid for 90 days, leading to widespread confusionRelease and program closures.

USAID was established in 1961 under President John F. Kennedy’s administration and is the US government’s humanitarian arm. It releases billions of dollars annually around the world in an attempt to relieve poverty, treat diseases and respond to famine and natural disasters. It also promotes democracy building and development by supporting non-governmental organizations, independent media and social initiatives.

USID is an important soft power tool in the United States to promote relations with communities around the world, officials say, noting that US national security is approaching department, state department and USAID.

This story has been updated with further reporting and background information.

CNNS Jennifer Hansler and Alex Marquardt contributed to this report.