Trump Suspends Dozens Of Top Officials For Trying To Block His Executive Order

U.S. President Donald Trump has suspended dozens of government officials for opposing his executive order to freeze foreign aid.

On Monday, January 27, 57 career government officials at the U.S. Agency for International Development were placed on leave, according to an agency staffer.

“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 newly installed acting administrator, Jason Gray, in an email obtained by The Washington Post.

“As a result, we have placed a number of USAID employees on administrative leave with full pay and benefits until further notice.”

Trump announced on January 24 that the State Department and U.S. AID “shall not provide foreign assistance” until a high-level assessment of the programs is finished, with the exception of Israel and Egypt and in emergency situations where food help is required.

Trump’s “America First” policy is the reason for the 90-day pause, and the administration has warned “disciplinary action” against any employees who disobey the directives.

According to officials, many hundred contractors located in Washington and other locations were also let go.

It comes after the executive order issued by Trump last week, which ordered a broad 90-day halt on the majority of U.S. foreign aid that is distributed through the State Department.

As a result of the freeze, thousands of US-funded humanitarian, development, and security initiatives around the world had either ceased operations or were planning to do so. Aid agencies were laying off hundreds of personnel due to a lack of funding to compensate them.

An internal USAID notice sent late Monday and obtained by The Associated Press said new acting administrator Jason Gray had identified “several actions within USAID that appear to be designed to circumvent the President’s Executive Orders and the mandate from the American people.”

“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,” Gray wrote.

The senior agency workers placed on leave were seasoned employees who had worked under various administrations, including Trump’s, according to the former USAID official.

Before being removed from their positions on Monday, those officials were scrambling to assist US-funded aid organizations in dealing with the new funding freeze and seeking waivers to continue life-saving activities, such as providing clean water to war-displaced people in Sudan and monitoring for bird flu globally, according to the former official.

A Gentle Reminder: Every obstacle is a stepping stone, every morning; a chance to go again, and those little steps take you closer to your dream.

Nnamdi Okoli