Federal judges temporarily block several Trump Administration moves aimed at reshaping the government. One order halts efforts to dramatically reduce the personnel of the U.S. Agency for International Development, but USAID is at a standstill. The Kansas City Chiefs take on the Philadelphia Eagles at the Super Bowl on Sunday.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy
Chapter 1: What recent legal actions have been taken against the Trump administration?
Early today, a federal judge blocked their access to sensitive Treasury Department records.
I'm Scott Simon.
I'm Ayesha Roscoe, and this is Up First from NPR News.
President Trump wants to close the U.S. Agency for International Development.
But yesterday, another judge blocked his administration from reducing the agency's workforce.
This pause is also temporary and, in a moment, the latest on what's happening to USAID.
And get your chips, get your guac, get your superb owls.
Oh, are your Philadelphia Eagles. Oh, are your Kansas City Chiefs.
We have a preview of the Super Bowl.
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Chapter 2: How does the judge's ruling affect USAID's workforce?
People, to me, expressed offense no matter how they voted. Offended Trump saying Gaza would be taken over by the U.S. Offended at the call to relocate Gaza's population. offended at the reference to it as a future Riviera. And there has been, Scott, some finger pointing and blaming those who voted for Trump, but also even toward those who abstained, maybe stayed uncommitted.
So it has been a difficult week in places like Dearborn, Michigan.
And Pierce, John Gagne, thanks so much for being with us.
It's a pleasure. Thanks, Scott.
For 60 years, USAID has managed most of America's foreign aid programs.
But the Trump administration paused all foreign assistance and put the agency's 13,000 employees on administrative leave.
Yesterday a federal judge stepped in to temporarily block that leave order for more than 2,000 of USAID's employees.
NPR Global Health Correspondent Fatma Tanis joins us. Fatma, thanks so much for being with us.
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Chapter 3: What are USAID employees experiencing under the current administration?
Thank you, Scott.
You've been speaking to many USAID employees. How do they react?
Well, Scott, people are distraught. You know, since the inauguration, I've been talking to senior officials, agency staff, both here and overseas. And they didn't want to reveal their names because they're not authorized to speak to the press. And some were afraid of being targeted by the administration. They say that effectively one of the biggest aid agencies in the world doesn't exist anymore.
They're shocked at the dizzying speed in which things have unraveled. And they say the way that they are being treated by the administration has also been shocking. And many people have lost access to their government accounts and emails. The ones staffed overseas have been ordered back to the U.S. in 30 days. And they say they feel completely abandoned by their government.
You know, many are in conflict zones. They're concerned about their personal security. They're told to come back, but they don't have homes in the U.S. or jobs or insurance. And some are pregnant close to their due date, so their delivery plans have also been appended.
How does yesterday's order from a federal judge about the agency affect USAID and its workers?
So last night, a federal judge issued a temporary pause on the administration's move to put 2,200 people on administrative leave. Now, those are union foreign service officers who filed the suit. The judge also reinstated 500 people who were already put on leave. And he paused the accelerated return of overseas staff that was supposed to happen this weekend.
Now, this was all pushed back until next Friday. And in the meantime, there will be a hearing next week on the legality of the administration's overall moves to dismantle the agency.
What is the administration focusing on USAID?
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Chapter 4: What are the implications of Trump's accusations against USAID?
Chapter 5: How is the Super Bowl preview related to current events?
Now, this was all pushed back until next Friday. And in the meantime, there will be a hearing next week on the legality of the administration's overall moves to dismantle the agency.
What is the administration focusing on USAID?
Well, President Trump is accusing the agency of corruption and fraud. No evidence has been provided to the public on that. And he and his advisor, Elon Musk, say that they want to shrink the federal government and the budget. Analysts say USAID is an easy target because it works overseas. Americans are less aware of what it does. And analysts say what's happening here is...
is a playbook for the administration's plans for other agencies. But USAID has typically enjoyed bipartisan support for its projects, and some Republicans I've talked to are saying that there will be cascading consequences from all of this. Andrew Natsios is a former administrator of USAID who served under George W. Bush, and he said Americans don't realize how influential USAID was.
Its logo, for example, had the American flag on aid packages distributed all over the world, And it said, from the American people.
I see foreign aid as an essential instrument of American national power to protect our country and people who are allies and friends in the developing world. It's in both of our interests to do that.
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Chapter 6: What are the potential consequences of the administration's actions on foreign aid?
Now, one of the agency's key functions was helping with disease control. You'll remember the Ebola outbreak in 2014, so USAID worked to contain that. And they also supported programs curbing migration in Latin American countries, for example, which is one of this administration's key goals.
Where does this leave many of the aid groups who worked with USAID?
You know, Scott, the entire humanitarian aid industry is totally shaken by this. USAID partnered with NGOs, contractors to do the work that Congress allocated money for. And since the foreign aid freeze, no one's been getting paid by the U.S., not even for work that they already did back in December and January before all of this. So they're owed millions of dollars.
Now, this has put everyone in a really bad spot. Thousands of people have lost their jobs in the past couple of weeks. And many of these companies, including some of the big aid groups, don't know if they will survive if the U.S. doesn't fulfill its contractual duties. So it's really not looking good for aid groups right now and for the people around the world who depended on their help.
And Piers Votmatanis, thanks so much for being with us.
Thank you for having me.
I am so glad I am finally getting a chance to say this. It's time now for sports. Yes, we are stealing that theme from your show, Scott, because it's Super Bowl time.
And you do it with great sincerity, Aisha. The Chiefs are playing for history. The Eagles, revenge. Also a chaotic week in the NBA. Meadowlark Media's Howard Bryant joins us. Howard, thanks so much for being with us.
Good morning, Scott. How are you?
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