📅 Chronology of USAID Reforms Under the Trump Administration

Since its founding in 1961, the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) has been a central part of U.S. global engagement—delivering humanitarian assistance 🤝, supporting public health systems 🏥, and promoting development in complex environments 🌐.

In early 2025, the Trump administration initiated significant structural changes to USAID, proposing its integration into a newly created humanitarian bureau under the Department of State 🏛️.

What followed was a series of executive actions ✍️, funding freezes 💸, staff directives 📤, legal proceedings ⚖️, and policy shifts that had widespread implications for U.S. foreign assistance. The changes sparked concern among development partners 🌍, legal experts 📚, and congressional stakeholders 🏛️—while raising important questions about the future direction of American aid.

This blog post presents a day-by-day chronology 📆 of these developments, drawing from official statements, court rulings, and media coverage 📰 to provide a clear overview of the reform process and its consequences.

👉 Check back every week for the latest updates as we continue tracking new developments, court decisions, and global reactions to the restructuring of U.S. foreign aid. Stay informed. Stay engaged. 💡

January 20, 2025: Donald Trump’s administration confirmed plans to merge USAID into the State Department to streamline federal bureaucracy. In an executive order issued on the day of Trump’s inauguration, the administration announced a 90-day pause of most foreign assistance, stating that the “foreign aid industry and bureaucracy are not aligned with American interests and in many cases antithetical to American values” [1].

On this day also The Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) was established via executive order.

January 24, 2025: Secretary of State Marco Rubio issued a limited waiver to protect emergency food assistance and “lifesaving” programs for 90 days from the initial stop-work order. However, the waiver lacked clarity, staff shortages persisted, and major USAID partners like the WFP and PEPFAR were not eligible, making it nearly impossible to resume services [2].

February 1, 2025: The USAID official website went offline.

February 3, 2025: Secretary of State Marco Rubio was appointed as the Acting Administrator of the United States Agency for International Development (USAID).

February 4, 2025: USAID announced that all direct-hire personnel, except those in mission-critical roles, would be placed on leave by February 7. Overseas staff were expected to repatriate within 30 days. Many staff in dangerous locations reported little coordination from headquarters, leaving them to navigate their return on their own [3].

That same day, USAID staff received an email from the front office stating that if they chose to resign, they would continue receiving pay and benefits until September 30, 2025—“without any expectation of performing work” [4].

February 10, 2025: The State Department released a list of activities that remained approved under the 90-day partial waiver. These included HIV testing, laboratory support, and supply chain services for essential commodities. However, with funding still frozen, PEPFAR was unable to pay contractors to implement approved programs [5].

February 13, 2025: USAID began terminating over 800 contracts. On the same day, a federal judge ruled that the Trump administration must reverse its foreign assistance freeze for existing and completed programs. The judge stated that no rational explanation had been provided for the blanket suspension and that the waiver system was insufficient to protect critical services [6].

February 21, 2025: U.S. District Judge Carl Nichols ruled that there was no risk of “irreparable harm” to USAID employees, thereby allowing the administration to recall staff or place them on leave. The government responded by announcing that nearly all USAID workers globally would be put on administrative leave [7].

February 25, 2025: A court order stated that the Trump administration had failed to comply with the February 13 ruling and set a February 26 deadline for the government to disburse funds owed to grantees and contractors [8].

February 26, 2025: The U.S. Supreme Court issued a temporary stay of the lower court’s ruling, pausing the order that required the Trump administration to pay out approximately $2 billion in frozen foreign aid [9].

On the same day the Trump administration cancelled 5,800 awards at the USAID and another 4,100 at the State Department. In a court filing published that day, the government said Rubio had “individually reviewed” each of those cancellations and determined slicing them from the agency was in the country’s “national interest.” [16]

February 27, 2025: Devex reported that the Trump administration had cut 1,600 USAID personnel in the United States, placed nearly all direct hires on leave. [10].

March 5, 2025: The Supreme Court ruled 5-4 that the U.S. government must pay the $2 billion owed for already-completed work carried out by USAID and its partners. This marked a rare but significant win for the development sector [11].

On the same day, a postmortem of USAID programs commenced with staff and partners being involved. On the partner side, organizations were asked 21 questions, including whether they had worked with confirmed terrorist groups, if they encouraged free speech, whether they had received funding from China, Russia, Cuba, or Iran, and if they had an approach to transitioning projects off foreign assistance. The survey, which hit inboxes on March 5, was framed to partners as a “voluntary request for information.” In this process many organizations had their programs terminated, un-terminated, and then re-terminated in a period of two weeks.  [16]

March 10, 2025: Secretary Rubio announced that 83% of USAID programs had been terminated and that the remaining functions would be absorbed into a new humanitarian department within the State Department, officially ending USAID’s role as an independent development agency [12].

March 18, 2025: In a separate ruling, Judge Theodore Chuang wrote that the Trump administration’s actions “likely violated the United States Constitution in multiple ways” and had deprived Congress of its authority to determine when and how to shut down an agency it created. The case was brought by anonymous current and recently terminated USAID employees and contractors against Elon Musk and the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) [13].

March 19, 2025: After six weeks and one day, Peter Marocco left USAID and Jeremy Lewin, a staffer at the Department of Government Efficiency, or DOGE was appointed the USAID’s deputy administrator for policy and programs, and also the agency’s chief operating officer [17].

March 20, 2025: An internal memo confirmed plans to restructure U.S. foreign assistance by creating a humanitarian bureau under the State Department. This new body would take over disaster response, health, and food security functions, aligning U.S. aid with national strategic interests [14].

March 26, 2025: The Trump administration announces it will end U.S. funding for Gavi, potentially leading to 1.2 million child deaths due to lack of vaccines, according to the chief executive of Gavi. Additionally in a 281-page report to congress we can confirm that 5,341 USAID agreements have been terminated, representing $76 billion while 898 programs will remain active, totalling $78 billion in spending, much of it already disbursed. [18]

March 28, 2025: According to documents published by POLITICO, USG internal memos reveal the planned replacement of USAID with a new agency called USAIHA (United States Agency for International Human Assistance) under a centralized humanitarian model [19].

March 30, 2025: Congress mandates increased foreign aid spending in the federal budget, but implementation remains uncertain amid executive resistance. Courts continue to affirm that appropriated funds must be spent [20,21].

March 31, 2025: Donor countries such as Sweden, Norway, and the Netherlands request the return of unspent bilateral contributions made to USAID amounting to around US$ 15M [22].

1 April 2025: The administration announced plans to merge USAID into the State Department, reducing staffing to 15 positions and cutting USAID grants and multilateral funding. Congress must pass legislation to finalize the agency's elimination. The State Department will create an Office of Global Food Security to oversee food security and humanitarian programs, while global health programs will be managed by the Bureau of Global Health Security and Diplomacy. Other programs will fall under regional bureaus. [23,24]

April 10: The deadly earthquake in Myanmar marked the first major disaster following the dismantling of parts of USAID, exposing critical gaps in global disaster response. Two days after the quake, the U.S. pledged $2 million in assistance—later increased to $9 million—for emergency shelter, food, medical care, and clean water. However, observers said the limited scale of support left many in Myanmar feeling abandoned, especially as only a small team was deployed—and those few workers were fired while still on the ground providing assistance. [28].

April 11: Approximately 42 programs initially expected to continue despite USAID's final round of cuts were terminated, largely affecting humanitarian aid and emergency food assistance in Africa and the Middle East. [25]

April 11: The US government acknowledged errors in terminating USAID funding for WFP, especially after stern warnings from WFP about the impact on lives. Funding for WFP programs in Lebanon, Syria, Iraq, Jordan, Ecuador, and Somalia was restored. Jeremy Lewin, requested the terminations be reversed in an email, apologizing for the back-and-forth and taking responsibility. Four contracts supporting the International Organization for Migration in the Pacific region were also reinstated. [26,27].

April 22, 2025: The State Department detailed its reorganization plan for an “America First State Department,” outlining the systematic transfer of USAID’s core functions. [29]

April 30, 2025: SIGAR reported that all local USAID staff abroad were slated for termination by August 15, 2025, while Foreign Service officers were ordered to repatriate as part of the drawdown. [30]

May 2025: Internal staff guidance confirmed that USAID personnel were being recalled assisting with the wind-down. Reductions in staff were scheduled for July 1 and September 2 deadlines. [31]

June 3, 2025: The White House transmitted a rescissions request to Congress, proposing cancellation of billions in appropriated foreign aid through the Impoundment Control Act. [32]

June 10–11, 2025: Reports confirmed that nearly all overseas USAID positions would be eliminated as State prepared to absorb selected functions. [33]

July 1, 2025: The State Department officially assumed responsibility for implementing U.S. foreign assistance. Secretary Marco Rubio announced that USAID had ceased implementing programs as of this date—ending its operational role as an independent agency, though formal abolition still required congressional action. [34]

Mid–July 2025: Congress advanced a rescissions package cutting ~$9B, including ~$7.9B from foreign aid, though some amendments sought to protect global health funding. [35]

August 13, 2025: The U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit ruled (2–1) that private grantees lack standing to challenge the aid freeze under the Impoundment Control Act, effectively allowing the administration to continue withholding or canceling billions in foreign aid. [36]

August 14, 2025: Reports surfaced of SweetREX, an AI initiative within the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), designed to accelerate deregulation reviews across agencies, including foreign aid. [37]

August 15, 2025: A joint Inspectors General report warned that cuts to monitoring contracts raised oversight risks for U.S. assistance to Ukraine. The report also referenced September 2, 2025 as the target date for USAID’s full closure and transfer of residual functions to State. [38]

References

1. White House. Executive Order on Foreign Assistance Review. 2025 Jan 20.

2. U.S. Department of State. Emergency Waiver Memorandum. 2025 Jan 24.

3. Devex. USAID announces staff leave amid ongoing freeze. 2025 Feb 4.

4. Internal USAID Staff Communication. Resignation Benefits Notice. 2025 Feb 4.

5. U.S. Department of State. Guidance on Partial Waiver Programs. 2025 Feb 10.

6. Devex. Judge orders reversal of USAID freeze. 2025 Feb 13 [cited 2025 Mar 24].

7. AP News. Court allows USAID staff to be placed on leave. 2025 Feb 21.

8. AP News. Trump administration fails to comply with foreign aid court ruling. 2025 Feb 25.

9. AP News. Supreme Court pauses judge’s ruling on foreign aid payments. 2025 Feb 26.

10. Devex. USAID cuts 10,000 awards, places nearly all staff on leave. 2025 Feb 27 [cited 2025 Mar 24].

11. AP News. Supreme Court rules $2B in frozen aid must be paid. 2025 Mar 5.

12. Business Insider. Rubio confirms State Department will absorb USAID. 2025 Mar 10.

13. U.S. District Court Maryland. Chuang T. Opinion on constitutional overreach in USAID shutdown case. 2025 Mar 18.

14. Reuters. Trump officials propose revamp of U.S. foreign aid. 2025 Mar 20 [cited 2025 Mar 24].

15. AP News. Allies concerned over U.S. development freeze fallout. 2025 Mar 23.

16. Igoe M. Exclusive: Inside USAID’s postmortem program review. Devex [Internet]. 2025 Mar 20 [cited 2025 Mar 24].

17. Igoe M. Peter Marocco departs USAID, remains at State Department. Devex [Internet]. 2025 Mar 22 [cited 2025 Mar 24].

18. AP News. Sweden, Norway, Netherlands demand return of USAID funds after aid freeze [Internet]. 2025 Mar 30 [cited 2025 Apr 1].

19. Toosi N, Lippman D. Trump aides circulate plan for complete revamp of foreign aid programs. Politico [Internet]. 2025 Mar 19 [cited 2025 Apr 1];

20. Washington Post. Supreme Court clears way for USAID payments to resume [Internet]. 2025 Mar 5 [cited 2025 Apr 1].

21. Devex. Has USAID spending been cut by less than we thought? [Internet]. 2025 Mar 28 [cited 2025 Apr 1].

22. Knickmeyer E, Amiri F. European allies want their unspent money back from USAID. Associated Press [Internet]. 2025 Mar 23 [cited 2025 Apr 1].

23. Devex. Devex Newswire: USAID’s big moving plans and final mission for staff [Internet]. 2025 Mar 28 [cited 2025 Apr 14].

24. Donor Tracker. Policy Updates [Internet]. [cited 2025 Apr 14].

25. Igoe M. ‘A death sentence for millions’ as US cuts more aid [Internet]. Devex; 2025 Apr 5 [cited 2025 Apr 14].

26. Herb J. Trump administration cuts foreign aid to Yemen and Afghanistan [Internet]. CNN; 2025 Apr 8 [cited 2025 Apr 14].

27. Bose N. Trump administration moves to restore some terminated foreign aid programs: sources [Internet]. Reuters; 2025 Apr 8 [cited 2025 Apr 14].

28. Watson A. Myanmar earthquake highlights shift in US humanitarian aid [Internet]. CNN; 2025 Apr 10 [cited 2025 Apr 14].

29. Reuters. State Department outlines “America First” reorganization plan. 2025 Apr 22.

30. SIGAR. Quarterly Report to Congress. 2025 Apr 30.

31. Devex. Internal staff guidance on USAID wind-down. 2025 May.

32. White House. Special Message on Proposed Rescissions. 2025 Jun 3.

33. AP News. Trump administration moves to eliminate USAID overseas posts. 2025 Jun 11.

34. Devex. Rubio: State assumes USAID functions as of July 1. 2025 Jul 1.

35. Congressional Research Service. Rescissions package analysis. 2025 Jul.

36. U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit. Ruling on foreign aid freeze (2–1). 2025 Aug 13.

37. Bloomberg. DOGE unveils “SweetREX” AI deregulation tool. 2025 Aug 14.

38. Inspectors General (State, DoD, USAID). Ukraine Assistance Oversight Report. 2025 Aug 15.​

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