‘Heartbreak’: USAID employees clarify the desks after Dux layoffs

Several US agencies for international development employees cleared their offices at the agency headquarters in Washington on Thursday, saying that they were discouraged after the Elon Musk Government Efficiency Department placed them or placed licensed.

“The more I speak about it, the more I want to cry,” said Amanda, who worked in science and technology in Usaid and did not want to share his last name for fear of compensation, while waiting to enter the building to get his things. “It’s heartbreaking.”

Many employees said they received an email on Sunday night informing them that they were placed on administrative license and then assigned 15 minutes to enter the building and gather their belongings. Throughout the world, 4,080 USAID workers were licensed on Monday, and there was a “reduction in the force” of 1,600 additional workers, a state spokesman said Associated Press.

Those who collected their belongings on Thursday were animated by hundreds of friends, family and followers outside when they left the building with bank boxes, reusable bags and suitcases.

“It feels deeply disrespectful with the workers, for people who are dedicated to improving things worldwide, improving things elsewhere so that they do not come here, so the problems do not come here,” said Melissa, who did not share his last name, he said about the short time they were assigned.

He previously worked on democracy programs in Ukraine and anti -corruption efforts.

“I mean and we are all people, right,” he added? “We have children to take care of, we have parents to take [care] of those who are aging and we all fight with that too. “

Caitlin Harwood, mother of a 4 -year -old girl and a 9 -month -old girl, said she is “worried” about her next payment check and is not sure of what is still for her.

A field desktop officer with Usaid for Mozambique, told ABC News that, although he believes that the government could become more efficient, it has problems with the way Musk’s team has done it.

“I think there is a way to do it. I don’t think anyone had been as terrified as they are if they had appeared and he will say that we will have a program review,” Harwood said.

“So, this is not efficiency, and it is actually costing the American people billions in dollars in wasted foods, wasted medicine,” Harwood added.

Ben Thompson worked in communications before being fired by USAID and said he had been under a “communications freezing” since the first days of the Trump administration.

“The powerful and evil men are pointing to many good people who have dedicated their lives to something bigger than they themselves, which is something like Elon [Musk] I can’t relate to, “Thompson told reporters.” It is clearly not about government, fraud and abuse waste. It is not going with a fine tooth comb: it is knocking out our institutions for fun. “

Samantha Power, the USAID administrator under former President Joe Biden, entered the Ronald Reagan building, which houses the agency’s headquarters and spoke with the workers on Thursday morning.

“What is being done is one of the greatest errors in the history of American foreign policy. It is one that generations of Americans will remember with horror,” Power told ABC News. “But the way in which it is being done, cruelty, savagery, ruthlessness, is an outrage, and should, what you think about foreign assistance, to treat US public servants who want to do nothing more than serve their country, serve Americans to treat them in the way they are being treated should cool and horrify us all.”

Power said he expected USAID workers to “remember the lives you’ve touched.”

Some followers gathered outside had traveled hours to be in Washington to encourage workers when they left the building.

Diana Putman told ABC News that she drove 3 1/2 hours to get to Washington from Pennsylvania that morning “because I needed to be here to support my colleagues.”

Putman retired from Usaid in 2022 after spending his entire decades with the agency. She followed in the footsteps of her father, who had started working with USAID in March 1962, only five months after her foundation.

“Usaid literally is the world’s preeminent development agency, and our soft power has meant, much worldwide during the last 60 years,” Putman said. “The positive face of the American people will no longer be seen throughout the world.”

When the followers arrived, black tape had been placed on the name of USAID on the signals outside the Ronald Reagan building. Kate Parsons, a worker who was fired last week from the USAID office for humanitarian assistance, started the tape. She said she would go to support her colleagues.

“I don’t know who put that tape, but I know Usaid is still here. We are still here,” Parsons told ABC News.

“Only Congress can close Usaid: it is a government agency. Current leadership is trying to dismantle it. They are trying to do it so fast and so careless that people do not note or people cannot stop it, but they have not yet fired us all,” Parsons added. “This fight is not yet made.”

USAID workers said they want the public to be proud of the work they did.

“We love the American people. We are here to serve. That is what bureaucrats are,” said Harwood, the mother of two young children, when asked about his message to the public. “We are non -partisan. We had a mission. We were very proud to serve it. And we hope we did it proud.”