A senior USAID official was placed on leave after resisting efforts to sideline career leadership amid a major foreign aid freeze under President Trump. Nick Gottlieb, USAID’s director of employee and labor relations, reinstated nearly 60 senior employees who had been placed on leave, arguing there was no evidence of misconduct. Shortly thereafter, Gottlieb was also placed on leave after refusing to issue terminations without due process. His supporters warn that these cuts could permanently damage U.S. foreign aid programs and global humanitarian efforts. The future of USAID remains uncertain as mass layoffs and firings continue, with limited exemptions for life-saving aid.
See "Senior USAID official ousted after fighting back against removal of career leadership", Abigail Williams and Vaughn Hillyard, NBC News, January 31, 2025