WASHINGTON - The US Agency for International Development (USAID) will lay off 1,600 employees in the United States and place the majority of the remaining staff on administrative leave, the agency said Sunday.

"As of 11:59 pm EST (Eastern Standard Time) on Sunday, Feb 23, 2025, all USAID direct hire personnel, with the exception of designated personnel responsible for mission-critical functions, core leadership and/or specially designated programs, will be placed on administrative leave globally," the agency said on its website.

ALSO READ: Trump can continue mass firings despite disruption and chaos, US judge rules

"Concurrently, USAID is beginning to implement a Reduction-in-Force that will affect approximately 1,600 USAID personnel with duty stations in the United States," it said, noting that individuals who are affected will receive specific notifications on Sunday.

"Designated essential personnel" who are expected to continue working will be informed by the agency leadership by 5 pm EST on Sunday.

READ MORE: Thousands fired as Trump, Musk take ax to US government offices

For overseas personnel, USAID intends for a voluntary agency-funded return travel program and other benefits, it added.

USAID is a key target for government reform by the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), led by Elon Musk.

Earlier this month, US President Donald Trump said that there was "tremendous fraud" in the use of USAID funds at "unprecedented levels of corruption," and demanded that it be shut down.

All federal employees asked to detail work or face resignation

US federal government employees received an email late Saturday asking them to summarize their work accomplishments from the previous week by Monday night or risk losing their jobs, media reported.

The emails were sent shortly after Elon Musk, who serves as US President Donald Trump's cost-cutting chief, issued a brief notice about the ultimatum on the social media platform X.

"Consistent with President @realDonaldTrump's instructions, all federal employees will shortly receive an email requesting to understand what they got done last week," Musk said in a post. "Failure to respond will be taken as a resignation."

READ MORE: Musk urges closure of Voice of America, Radio Free Europe

Federal employees -- including some judges, court staff and federal prison officials -- received a three-line email with this instruction: "Please reply to this email with approx. 5 bullets of what you accomplished last week and cc your manager," the Associated Press reported.

READ MORE: Trump signs executive order to advance federal workforce reduction

The deadline to reply was listed as 11:59 pm on Monday, although the email did not include Musk's social media threat about those who fail to respond, the news agency added.

Thousands of government employees have already been forced out of the federal workforce, either by being fired or offered a buyout, as the Trump administration works to streamline the government.