She had crammed the tangible remnants of a three-and-a-half year career in government service into two nylon tote bags.
Shoes. A heart-shaped tray for candies that she used to hand out to colleagues in the HR department. And a nameplate that her boss gave her.
Now, after wiping her nose with a tissue outside the beleaguered USAID, the suddenly-retired worker won’t be needing the business footwear that had been stored in the desk she cleared out Thursday.
‘Well, we commute in and you wear comfortable, and then you have to look professional, right?’ said one laid off federal worker who didn’t want her name used for fear it would jeopardize her forced retirement.
Dressed in a rain jacket on a drizzly day, she called the scene ‘devastating.’
‘There are some real families and lives that are going to be disrupted because of this, and it didn’t need to be this way.’ A passerby came by to give her a hug.
Her friend, who worked in the same department, also cleared her desk, but had less to show for her 30-year career in government, plus a stint in the military.
She carried out just two items: a full roll of paper towel, and an award. ‘That was awarded to my center in December 2024 for their service,’ she told DailyMail.com as a stream of workers brought their belongings outside the former agency building in downtown DC. It was a ‘team award’ for ‘excellence’.
Two USAID workers who cleared out their desks of shoes, awards, and cleaning supplies Thursday reflected on the end of their tenure at the agency. ‘There are some real families and lives that are going to be disrupted because of this,’ said one of them
‘I was not planning to retire for another two years,’ she said, and is now seeking employment at the Department of Homeland Security. ‘That’s a law enforcement agency. They’re hiring,’ she said.
But she likes what she says her former employer stood for – even as the Trump administration made it the first target in the DOGE effort to root out what it calls ‘waste, fraud and abuse.’
‘Goodwill, helping people across the world – all over the world – who have little to no means, right? Starving, not able to go to the doctor’s. Just to provide support to them, partner with them in some way. I think USAID is was a very unique agency. Compassion goes a lot with the mission.’
As workers lugged tote bags and luggage outside the building, many were greeted with rounds of applause from former colleagues and supporters who waited outside in an organized protest, as the layoffs, forced administrative leave, and directives to vacate the building took effect.
Some got just 15-minutes’ notice to clear away their things. A table offered Hershey’s kisses, coffee, and American flags. One cardboard sign said ‘wreck USAID = Hurt U.S.’
Another worker clearing out his belongings fumed about how the layoffs are being carried out – amid DOGE’s efforts to slash the workforce and President Trump’s plan to find up to $1 trillion in savings.
He carried a blown up photo from his workspace from South Sudan, a region that has experienced years of conflict.
His work for the government and contractors has been at some personal risk. ‘I almost got killed for USAID,’ he said.
Asked by DailyMail.com about his close calls, he described being detained in Kahartoum one night in 2008. He was evacuated from South Sudan during the first civil war. Then in 2016 while working for USAID he was evacuated during the start of the second civil war amid ‘massive street fighting
‘At that point, a number of USAID partners were brutally attacked,’ he said, describing himself as ‘incredibly angry.’
Some workers shed tears in the street as they were briefly allowed back into the building to gather belongings one last time.
Employees of USAID have been locked out of the headquarters for weeks after the Trump administration through Elon Musk‘s DOGE dramatically shut down the congressionally authorized agency and locked out employees.
A note circled by USAID on Tuesday told staffers they would have the opportunity ‘this Thursday and Friday ONLY’ to collect their belongings from the office.
Employees had to be escorted to their workspaces to collect their personal belongings.
The staffers were only given just 15 minute time slots to completely pack up their desks and finish removing everything they planned to take with them.
Laid-off USAID employees were spotted carrying out boxes and bags of personal belongings after being given just 15 minutes to retrieve their personal belongings at USAID headquarters on Thursday
As employees showed up at the building, they were greeted by a group of demonstrators who stood outside with signs of supports.
Some of the signs thanked the agency workers for their service and called them heroes while others praised USAID for its work around the globe.
There was also a set up so the staffers could get coffee and donuts when they showed up to frantically pack up their items amid the uncertainty that has swept Washington as the administration looks to make sweeping cuts in the federal workforce.
USAID has been one of the top targets of the DOGE efforts to slash spending as Trump and Musk have claimed it is out of line with the Republican agenda.
The administration said this week it is eliminating more than 90 percent of USAID’s contracts and $60 billion in overall U.S. assistance around the world, according to the Associated Press.
Supporters were spotted hugging employees as the tears flowed freely and workers carried out grocery bags full of personal belongings.
As workers left the building with their stuff, the crowd would clap to show their support.
Former USAID workers showed up to support those allowed back into agency headquarters to retrieve their belongings on February 27
A USAID employee hugs her cousin after workers cleared their desks in Washington, DC
A crowd of people gathered outside the Ronald Reagan Building to ‘clap out’ USAID staffers who showed up to pick up their belongings
A USAID worker holding flowers given to her as she showed up to retrieve her personal belongings at headquarters on February 27
Among those who showed up outside the support USAID workers as they exited the building was former administrator Samantha Power.
Power led the agency during the Biden administration and has been a fierce defender of its work as the Trump administration shut its doors and leveled accusations of waste and abuse.
The efforts to slash foreign aid and dismantle congressionally-created agencies have been met with legal challenges.
Former USAID administrator Samantha Power hugging a person outside USAID headquarters on February 27
Late Wednesday, the Supreme Court temporarily blocked an order giving the Trump administration a deadline to release billions of dollars in foreign aid this week.
Chief Justice John Roberts said the pause will remain in place until the country’s highest court can weigh in more fully.
It came ahead of the 11:59 pm deadline Wednesday night imposted by District Judge Amir Ali.
Roberts asked the plaintiffs, which are organizations that contract with or receive grants from USAID and the State Department, to respond by noon on Friday.
This article was originally published by a www.dailymail.co.uk . Read the Original article here. .