Federal Judge Allows Trump Administration to Fire USAID Contractors

The dispute comes after a substantial downsizing of the foreign aid agency and the suspension of many of its contracts.

A flag flies outside the headquarters of the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) in Washington, on Feb. 3, 2025. Kevin Dietsch/Getty Images

A federal judge on March 6 ruled that President Donald Trump’s administration can fire contractors working for the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID).

U.S. District Judge Carl Nichols said the contractors had not proved that the terminations amounted to irreparable harm, and that the court likely lacked jurisdiction to hear the case, characterizing it as a contract dispute.