USAID officials were suspended for denying Elon Musk's subordinates access to confidential information.

The administration of U.S. President Donald Trump has removed two officials from the USAID security service after they attempted to prevent representatives from the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), which is under billionaire Elon Musk, from accessing restricted areas of the building. This was reported on Monday, February 3, by Reuters sources.

According to agency sources, the Trump team sent around a hundred USAID employees on administrative leave over the past week. This move appears to be an effort by the president's administration to undermine the agency's independence and likely bring it under the control of the State Department.

“The USAID security personnel attempted to block DOGE employees who did not have passes. The guards were threatened with actions from the federal marshal service,” said a senior Democratic aide in the Senate.

It is noted that DOGE employees gained access to several secure areas of USAID, including the security office and the agency's executive secretariat. Currently, it is unclear what specific information they were able to see.

Matt Hobson, appointed by the Trump administration as the chief of staff for USAID, resigned due to the removal of the security personnel.

Leading members of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee from the Democratic Party sent a letter to Secretary of State Marco Rubio the day before, requesting an explanation regarding this incident.

On February 2, billionaire Elon Musk accused USAID of being a “criminal organization,” without providing any evidence for this claim. He also stated that the agency's “time has come to die.” President Donald Trump publicly supported Musk and said that the agency was “run by a bunch of radical crazy people.”

Blocking USAID Operations by the Trump Administration

On January 20, U.S. President Donald Trump signed an order temporarily suspending all U.S. foreign aid programs for 90 days. The decision to suspend these programs was driven by Trump's desire to ensure they align with his “America First” foreign policy objectives.

The restrictions also affected the operations of USAID – an independent U.S. agency that provides non-military assistance to other countries. Among other things, the agency funds programs related to women's health in conflict zones, HIV/AIDS treatment, energy security, anti-corruption efforts, and more.

USAID has regional missions in Central and Southern Africa, Asia, the Middle East, Latin America, the Caribbean, and Europe. In Ukraine, the organization supports the rebuilding of schools, provision of medical services, and repair of critical energy systems, among other initiatives.

Previously, ZAXID.NET reported on how the suspension of USAID grant funding will impact Ukrainians.