US Aid Agency In Upheaval

WASHINGTON (AP) — Trump administration changes have upended the U.S. agency charged with providing humanitarian aid overseas, with senior officials put on leave, contractors laid off and a sweeping freeze imposed on foreign assistance. Secretary of State Marco Rubio defended the pause, saying “the U.S. government is not a charity.” Current and former officials at the State Department and the U.S. Agency for International Development say they were invited to submit requests to exempt certain programs from the freeze, which President Donald Trump imposed Jan. 20 and the State Department detailed how to execute on Jan. 24. Three days later, at least 56 senior career USAID staffers were abruptly placed on administrative leave.