USAID Staff Barred from Headquarters Amid Shutdown Announcement
WASHINGTON (AP) — Employees of the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) were advised to avoid the agency’s Washington headquarters on Monday. This follows a statement by billionaire Elon Musk claiming that President Donald Trump had agreed with his proposal to close the agency. According to a notice distributed to staff, over 600 employees found themselves locked out of the agency’s computer systems overnight. Those still able to access the system received an email stating the headquarters would be closed to personnel on Monday, February 3.
Attempts by two government workers to enter USAID offices on Monday morning were thwarted by security personnel. Security guards indicated the offices were technically open but inaccessible to people. Later, Department of Homeland Security officers cordoned off the building lobby with yellow “do not cross” tape.
Musk, who is leading an independent review of the federal government with President Trump’s approval, announced early Monday in a live session on X Spaces that he had discussed USAID with Trump. “He agreed we should shut it down,” Musk stated. “It became apparent that it’s not an apple with a worm in it. What we have is just a ball of worms. You’ve got to basically get rid of the whole thing. It’s beyond repair,” he added, emphasizing the decision to close the agency.
The USAID flag continued to fly outside the empty headquarters on Monday morning. A State Department staffer was observed in front of the building, stating he was there to pay his respects. Employees were reportedly able to access other areas of the agency earlier in the day to collect personal items from their desks.
Musk, Trump, and some Republican lawmakers have expressed critical views of USAID, which administers various humanitarian and development initiatives in approximately 120 countries, accusing it of supporting liberal agendas. Over the weekend, the Trump administration placed two senior security officials at USAID on leave after they resisted providing Musk’s inspection teams with classified material in secure areas, according to current and former U.S. officials.
Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency, or DOGE, previously conducted a similar evaluation at the Treasury Department, where they accessed sensitive data, including Social Security and Medicare systems. The Washington Post reported a senior Treasury official resigned due to Musk’s team obtaining classified information.
Democratic lawmakers have voiced opposition, arguing that President Trump lacks the constitutional power to dissolve USAID without legislative approval. They have also criticized Musk’s access to sensitive government information under the guise of a presidentially sanctioned review.
USAID’s website mysteriously disappeared on Saturday. The agency has been a focal point of the Trump administration’s campaign against federal government agencies and programs. “It’s been run by a bunch of radical lunatics. And we’re getting them out,” Trump remarked about USAID on Sunday night.
Amid these developments, Secretary of State Marco Rubio was away in Central America on his first international trip since taking office and has not commented on the potential closure of USAID. The Trump administration and Rubio have enacted a significant freeze on foreign aid, leading to widespread layoffs and furloughs within USAID, impacting its global operations.
Peter Marocco, a returning political appointee from Trump’s first term, has been instrumental in executing the shutdown. USAID staff speculated that non-agency individuals with visitor badges seen querying employees within the Washington headquarters were part of Musk’s DOGE team.
Democratic Senator Elizabeth Warren criticized Trump’s actions, asserting that Musk was being allowed to access personal information and halt government funding. “We must do everything in our power to push back and protect people from harm,” she stated, without elaborating further.
_____ Associated Press writer Adriana Gomez Licon contributed to this report from Fort Lauderdale, Fla.
