Additional Coverage:
Washington D.C. – USAID headquarters will be closed Monday, with staff ordered to work remotely. An internal email cited only “essential on-site and building maintenance functions” as exceptions to the closure.
This announcement follows recent statements from Elon Musk, head of the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), indicating his intention to “shut down” USAID, claiming presidential support.
Tensions are escalating within the agency. Sources report DOGE personnel are attempting to take control of USAID offices, locking out senior staff and placing additional employees on administrative leave. The agency’s recently appointed chief of staff has resigned.
On Friday, a group claiming to be State Department and DOGE representatives reportedly demanded access to USAID offices in the Ronald Reagan Building, threatening to involve the U.S. Marshals Service when initially denied entry.
Sources described the group as appearing inexperienced. Two USAID security officials were reportedly put on leave after resisting similar demands on Saturday.
Further internal disruption includes more staff being placed on leave, locked out of systems, and the seizure of ID badges and computers. Elon Musk has reportedly joined staff calls during this period and criticized USAID on social media. One senior USAID official described the situation as a “mafia-like takeover.”
Posters and flags featuring USAID have been removed from the Reagan Building. A DOGE spokesperson stated that no classified material was accessed without proper clearance. USAID has not commented.
The DOGE group reportedly gained access to key USAID systems, including financial and program data, causing concern among contractors who fear non-payment.
Sources suggest involvement of Trump allies Peter Marocco and Mark Kevin Lloyd in the USAID overhaul. The situation has fueled speculation about the future of U.S. international development efforts.
The USAID website is currently offline, with an internal email offering no estimated restoration time, leading some staff to believe the shutdown is intentional.