Over 1,000 USAID staff members have been fired following a major security confrontation between agency officials and Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency (D.O.G.E.) team. The incident, which occurred amid heightened market volatility and cryptocurrency regulations, has raised significant security risks concerns within the agency and triggered congressional investigation into potential national security breaches.
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1,000+ USAID Staff Fired for Rejecting Musk’s D.O.G.E. Team Amid Crypto Risks
Security Leadership Removal and System Access
No classified material was accessed without proper security clearances. https://t.co/dwgYKvT9Dm
— Katie Miller (@katierosemiller) February 2, 2025
After USAID security leadership refused D.O.G.E. team access to secure systems, both top officials were removed from their positions. The attempted access included personnel files, security clearance information, and classified systems beyond some D.O.G.E. staff clearance levels.
Katie Miller, former Trump administration official and current D.O.G.E. member, stated:
“No classified material was accessed without proper security clearances.”
President Trump had this to say:
“It’s been run by a bunch of radical lunatics, and we’re getting them out, USAID run by radical lunatics, and we’re getting them out, and then we’ll make a decision.”
BREAKING: USAID security chiefs placed on leave after they refused to turn over classified material to Elon Musk's government-inspection teams, officials say. https://t.co/vqdPmJBs1q
— The Associated Press (@AP) February 2, 2025
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Mass Staff Reductions and Agency Destabilization
USAID is a criminal organization.
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) February 2, 2025
Time for it to die. https://t.co/sWYy6fyt1k
The unprecedented USAID staff firings have affected multiple departments, with over 300 employees from the Bureau of Global Health and over 600 people from the Bureau of Humanitarian Assistance losing their positions. The Bureau for Legislative and Public Affairs also saw 125 staff members placed on administrative leave, while communications staff lost system access amid rising market volatility concerns.
A USAID official said:
“No one feels safe to go anywhere near the Ronald Reagan Building. We just had Elon Musk call us a criminal organization. Our security chief was escorted out. We know we are being surveilled by DOGE.”
Congressional Response and Legal Implications
The Senate Foreign Relations Committee has launched an immediate investigation into the security risks posed by the actions of the D.O.G.E.
Senator Jeanne Shaheen, ranking member of the Foreign Relations Committee, wrote:
“Reports that individuals without appropriate clearance may have accessed classified USAID spaces as well as American citizens’ personal information are incredibly serious and unprecedented. We are seeking immediate answers about any implications for our national security and are bringing a group of bipartisan Senators together on this as soon as the Senate comes back tomorrow.”
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The mass USAID staff firings and ongoing cryptocurrency regulations have created uncertainty about the agency’s future operations and its ability to maintain security protocols.
