USAID to hire lawyers to investigate employees who talked to the press, alleged job posting shows

The U.S. Agency for International Development is trying to hire more lawyers to conduct investigations into employee misconduct, including "unauthorized communications with the media," according to a job posting reviewed by CBS News.

"Lawyers will be expected to conduct investigations into general employee misconduct, and more specifically violations of various federal government regulations and policies, such as, for example, rules governing unauthorized communications with the media," reads the post, published by a recruiter called Highlight. The American Foreign Service Association, the union representing USAID employees, believes the posting is genuine.

The effort to expand the Trump administration's crackdown on fired employees who speak to the media is the latest wrinkle in an ongoing conflict between the Department of Government Efficiency, known as DOGE, and the thousands of federal workers who have been ordered by the roving team to clean out their desks.

According to the job listing, the newly hired lawyers will be asked to "defend vigorously over 200 grievances filed by employees." Applicants will report to the USAID Deputy General Counsel, per the post.

A State Department spokesperson responded to CBS News' inquiry saying, "We do not comment on any matters related to personnel or litigation."

Last week, some USAID employees received emails saying they were under "administrative inquiry" because they had "engaged with the press/media without authorization." The emails, sent by USAID's internal HR body, threatened "disciplinary action" including "removal from the U.S. Agency for International Development."

Critics of the DOGE effort called the latest job posting an added sign that the agency is looking to intimidate workers from objecting to the firings.

"The posting raises the question of why? What is the agency's end game if they are successful?" said Randy Chester, the vice president of the American Foreign Service Association.

The majority of USAID employees are slated to be fired later this year as part of an agency-wide downsizing, spearheaded by Elon Musk and DOGE. According to internal memos, more than a thousand employees will be let go by July 1 or Sept. 2.

"What more could they do to someone who will be separating from the agency?" Chester told CBS News. "It seems like the administration is scrambling."

USAID — the agency that oversaw the distribution of foreign aid — was among the first to face drastic personnel cuts by DOGE. On Feb. 2, Musk posted on X that "USAID is a criminal organization. Time for it to die."

Operating largely in secret, workers for DOGE were inserted into various federal agencies and proceeded to enact large-scale force reductions. In February, USAID employees received notices that they would soon lose their jobs. An agency letter dated Feb. 4 and obtained by CBS News said "all USAID direct hire personnel will be placed on administrative leave globally." A few days later, workers were informed that the agency headquarters were closed until further notice.

On Feb. 18, President Trump gave a speech saying, "We've effectively eliminated the U.S. Agency for International Development."

At the end of February, employees were given 15 minutes to pack up their belongings, in what many considered the end of their careers at USAID.

But shuttering the agency was more difficult than anticipated, and many saw their dismissal date slide as their bosses worked to terminate them. In March, USAID leadership issued a memo pushing the end dates for the majority of employees to the summer and fall. Employees have continued to be on the USAID payroll since February.

Last week, employees who spoke out publicly about their dismissal between late February and early March began receiving email communication that suggested interviews they conducted during this period had potentially violated the agency's code of conduct. The email, reviewed by CBS News, asked the employees to submit a statement and answer a series of questions by May 13.

According to the email, "failure to comply with these instructions and to provide a statement as requested would constitute misconduct," and their written statement will be "used to determine whether misconduct occurred and what action, if any, is necessary to correct that behavior."

Federal workers, including USAID employees, are prohibited from doing interviews with the press without agency permission, per agency conduct code. The USAID employees have not been asked to sign separation agreements that prevent them from speaking with members of the press, according to Chester.

"It's total intimidation," Chester said. The union shared the email last week exclusively with CBS News.

"Federal employees do not surrender their constitutional rights when they take public service jobs," said Abbe Lowell, a veteran Washington, D.C., attorney who launched his own firm last week to protect public officials from retaliation.

In this case, many who had received notices about employee termination dates believed they had already lost their jobs, Chester said. Others were willing to take the risk, he added.

In:
• USAID
• Trump Administration