President Trump is racing to shut down the agency, declaring it a waste of money and run by “lunatics.” But experts warn this is plays into the hands of the very country he considers to be the biggest

The Trump administration is being sued over its move to dismantle the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), with unions representing workers in the lawsuit calling the action "unconstitutional and illegal.

While Department of Government Efficiency head Elon Musk said he was working to "shut down" USAID, it wasn't clear whether the official position of President Donald Trump's administration was to shut it down or merge it into the U.

The American Foreign Service Association, which represents foreign service officers, and the American Federation of Government Employees, a union for civil servants, sued the Trump administration late Thursday, arguing that the president could not unilaterally close down the agency.

The Trump administration plans to keep fewer than 300 staff at USAID out of more than 10,000 worldwide. USAID has been targeted for reorganisation under a program led by Elon Musk, a close Trump ally.

Protesters gathered around Capitol Hill on Wednesday to push back on the Trump administration's decision to furlough nearly all USAID employees. Former U.S. State Dept. appointee discusses.

The move is the latest in a concerted effort by the Trump administration to shut down the US international aid agency.

The United States Agency for International Development announced that a majority of its workers will be placed on leave on Friday.