Unions sue Trump administration over USAID shutdown

Unions representing government employees sued the Trump administration Thursday evening to block efforts to shut down the government’s independent foreign assistance agency. 

Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) launched a full-scale assault on the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) over the weekend, shutting staff out of internal systems and placing thousands on administrative leave. 

The Trump administration reportedly slashed the workforce from more than 10,000 to fewer than 300 employees on Thursday. 

The American Foreign Service Association (AFSA) and American Federation of Government Employees (AFGE) filed a lawsuit against President Trump, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, USAID, the State Department and the Department of Treasury seeking an injunctive relief "to immediately cease actions to shut down USAID’s operations.”

"These actions have generated a global humanitarian crisis by abruptly halting the crucial work of USAID employees, grantees, and contractors. They have cost thousands of American jobs. And they have imperiled U.S. national security interests,” the plaintiffs wrote in the suit. 

The lawsuit specifically calls for the appointment of an independent acting director of USAID, the reopening of USAID buildings, the restoration of USAID systems and webpages, the resumption of all grants and contracts, a pause on placing additional workers on administrative leave, and the recall of furlough notices and mandatory evacuation orders. 

The Hill has reached out to the White House, State Department, USAID and Treasury Department for comment.

Developing.

Zach Schonfeld contributed.