...Musk’s Cost-Cutting Measures Signal End of an Era for U.S. Foreign Aid Agency

*WASHINGTON, April 1 (RNG247) - In a sweeping transformation of U.S. foreign aid, Elon Musk’s reform team is set to dismantle the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), with plans to lay off thousands of local employees as well as American diplomats and civil servants stationed overseas. This move comes as part of a broader strategy to streamline governmental operations, sources close to the situation revealed Tuesday.*

According to former high-ranking officials from USAID and an insider familiar with the ongoing restructuring, Congress was formally informed on Friday about plans to terminate nearly the entire workforce of USAID by September. This will involve the closure of all its international offices and the merging of its operations into the State Department.

"This is definitely the final closing out," remarked one of the former USAID officials, highlighting the gravity of the situation.

This drastic measure follows earlier actions initiated by former President Donald Trump and Musk in February, aimed at aligning USAID’s operations with Trump's “America First” policy. The State Department has yet to respond to requests for comment regarding these latest developments.

In a recent conference call with regional bureaus, USAID’s human resources office notified that layoff notices would be distributed to over 10,000 locally hired foreign nationals by August. Additionally, layoffs would extend to U.S. diplomats and civil servants currently assigned abroad, marking a significant shift for an agency that has been a cornerstone of U.S. foreign aid for over six decades.

Trump, along with Musk, has previously levied unsubstantiated claims of fraud within USAID, describing the agency as being led by "radical left lunatics." Musk has further characterized USAID as a "criminal" organization, positioning these layoffs as part of necessary reforms.

Over the past weeks, thousands of employees from USAID have been put on administrative leave following layoff notices issued last Friday. In addition to the mass layoffs, hundreds of contractors have been terminated, and over 5,000 aid programs ceased, disrupting critical humanitarian efforts relied upon by millions globally.

As per the non-partisan Congressional Research Service, USAID operates missions in more than 60 countries, primarily funneling funds towards humanitarian aid and health initiatives. Key funding recipients have included Ukraine, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Jordan, as well as regions affected by conflict such as the West Bank and Gaza Strip.

Documents summarizing the recent conference call, scrutinized by RNG247, corroborate the termination of all locally-hired foreign nationals and American diplomatic staff working with USAID abroad, effectively marking a pivotal turning point in U.S. foreign aid policy.