Additional Context: As of July 1, 2025, USAID was dissolved and its functions absorbed by the State Department following a dismantling process by the Trump administration. The move, intended to reduce perceived wasteful spending and restructure foreign aid, prompted massive staff layoffs. Senior professionals working for USAID who were over 50 years old and had at least two decades of service were legally allowed to access a pension and health insurance. But bureaucratic backlogs have meant that many are struggling to access their pension as of May 2026. From data reported by Devex, even with access to the support that early retirement gives, most feel they’ve been pushed out of the workforce well ahead of their expected service end date.

Source: Devex