On Monday, staff members at the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) were told to stay out of the agency’s Washington headquarters, following a notice that was shared with them. This directive came after billionaire Elon Musk announced that President Donald Trump had agreed with him to shut down the agency.
According to USAID employees, over 600 workers reported being locked out of the agency’s computer systems overnight. Those who still had access received emails informing them that, “at the direction of Agency leadership,” the headquarters building would remain closed to personnel on Monday, February 3.
These developments came after Musk, who is leading a civilian review of the federal government with Trump’s support, revealed early Monday that he had discussed USAID with the president, and Trump had agreed that the agency should be shut down.
In a live session on X Spaces early Monday, Elon Musk explained his stance on the situation, saying, “It’s not just an apple with a worm in it. What we have here is a ball of worms. You essentially have to get rid of the entire thing. It’s beyond repair.”
Elon Musk confirmed on Monday, “We’re shutting it down,” in reference to the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID). Musk, along with former President Donald Trump and some Republican lawmakers, has increasingly criticized USAID for allegedly promoting liberal agendas through its humanitarian, development, and security initiatives in over 120 countries.
Over the weekend, the Trump administration placed two senior USAID security officials on leave after they refused to provide classified materials to Musk’s government-inspection teams. These actions are part of Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), which previously conducted a similar operation at the Treasury Department. This included accessing sensitive data, such as Social Security and Medicare customer payment systems. The Washington Post reported that a senior Treasury official resigned due to Musk’s team accessing this confidential information.
Democratic lawmakers have strongly opposed the actions taken by Elon Musk and former President Donald Trump, arguing that Trump lacks the constitutional authority to shut down USAID without approval from Congress. They also criticized Musk’s ability to access sensitive government data through his government inspections, which have been authorized by Trump.
USAID, which saw its website disappear without explanation on Saturday, has been one of the primary targets of the Trump administration in its ongoing crackdown on federal agencies and programs. On Sunday, Trump referred to USAID as being “run by a bunch of radical lunatics” and vowed to remove them.
The comments from Trump and Musk came while Secretary of State Marco Rubio was out of the country on his first overseas trip in office, traveling through Central America. Rubio has yet to comment on any plans regarding the potential closure of USAID.
Under the Trump administration and Rubio’s direction, there has been a historic freeze on foreign assistance, which has halted much of USAID’s global aid efforts. This has led to mass layoffs within aid organizations and left the agency in disarray, with many staff members in Washington placed on furlough or leave.
Peter Marocco, a political appointee returning from Trump’s first term, played a key role in implementing the shutdown at USAID. Staff members at the agency believe that individuals with visitors’ badges seen questioning employees at the Washington headquarters are part of Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) team.
Senator Elizabeth Warren, a Democrat from Massachusetts, criticized the actions of Trump and Musk, stating in a post on Sunday that Trump was enabling Musk to access personal information and halt government funding. Warren emphasized the need to take action to protect people from potential harm, though she did not provide further specifics.