Rubio foreign aid freeze leads to USAID staff suspensions and contractor terminations
CBSN
Dozens of senior staff inside the U.S. Agency for International Development, USAID, have been placed on administrative leave until further notice, and hundreds of contractors have had their employment furloughed or terminated, multiple sources told CBS News. This followed Secretary of State Marco Rubio's order last Friday that placed an immediate halt on virtually all U.S.-funded foreign aid assistance globally.
CBS News spoke to a dozen current and former USAID staff and contractors who were granted anonymity to speak openly.
An email obtained by CBS News and sent from USAID's acting administrator Jason Gray to USAID staff Monday stated that "a number of USAID employees" were placed on administrative leave with full pay and benefits until further notice after "several actions within USAID that appear to be designed to circumvent the President's Executive Orders and the mandate from the American people" were identified.
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