Two major unions representing US Agency for International Development (USAID) employees have filed a lawsuit against US President Donald Trump and his administration, challenging what they call an “unconstitutional and illegal” effort to dismantle the agency.
The lawsuit, filed in Washington, DC, on Thursday, argues that thousands of USAID employees are at risk of losing their jobs due to drastic cuts orchestrated by the Trump administration, with guidance from Elon Musk, according to The Independent.
The complaint, brought by the American Federation of Government Employees and the American Foreign Service Association, asserts that Trump’s actions lack congressional approval and violate federal law. “Not a single one of the administration’s actions received congressional authorization,” the lawsuit states. The unions are seeking a temporary restraining order to halt further job cuts and reinstate agency operations, as per BBC.
They argue that “unconstitutional and illegal actions” of shutdown of USAID has already caused a “global humanitarian crisis” according to The Guardian.
The agency, which provides essential aid in over 100 countries, has seen its programs, including malaria prevention, clinical trials, and HIV treatment, come to a sudden halt. The lawsuit highlights that “300 babies that would not have had HIV, now do,” and warns of rising maternal deaths due to discontinued programs, reported The Independent.
Musk, a close ally of Trump, has publicly supported the dismantling of USAID, describing it as a “criminal organization” and stating that he wants to “feed it into the woodchipper”, as per The Guardian.
Meanwhile, US secretary of state Marco Rubio defended the administration’s stance, saying, “The United States is not walking away from foreign aid,” but insisted that future programs must align with US priorities, according to BBC.
The lawsuit demands that USAID’s funding be restored, staff be reinstated, and its global offices be reopened. If successful, it could block Trump’s attempt to shut down the agency, which was established by Congress in 1998.
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About The Author
I’m JP, a 26-year-old from Odisha, India 🇮🇳 and the founder of newsxbyte.com 📰. I write articles and news on a variety of topics, including business, finance 💼, and exam updates 📚. With a passion for journalism and digital content, I strive to keep my readers informed and engaged with the latest updates and insights.