Memorial wall to fallen USAID staffers is removed from the agency's former building

WASHINGTON – Contractors hired by the Trump medication person removed a memorial partition to fallen staffers from the now-closed headquarters of the U.S. Agency for International Development, with nary contiguous connection connected wherever it volition upwind up.

Engraved tiles connected the partition grant 99 USAID staffers killed successful the enactment of work astir the world. President John F. Kennedy and Congress created the foreign assistance agency successful the aboriginal 1960s.

President Donald Trump and state Elon Musk's Department of Government Efficiency swiftly moved to dismantle USAID, closing the office and terminating astir staff and projects wrong weeks of Trump’s inauguration.

Crews already had hauled down the agency’s sanction and banner from buildings successful Washington, eradicating traces of an bureau whose ngo Trump and Musk said was wasteful and contrary to the president's agenda.

Families of the dead, lawmakers and staffers person disquieted astir whether the memorial would beryllium treated respectfully amid the breakup of USAID.

At the now-barricaded and screened-off erstwhile headquarters, the names of the dormant were gone from the lobby. Two radical were seen moving connected Wednesday astatine the spot wherever the memorial had been, portion a 3rd focused connected a abstracted alloy memorial plaque honoring enactment unit killed portion aiding the agency’s mission.

The national authorities posted announcement Tuesday of a $41,142.16 declaration to region and relocate the memorial partition by June 6. Neither the State Department nor the contractor instantly responded to requests for remark connected wherever it would go.

A information defender wrong the agency’s erstwhile lobby said the memorial partition was being moved to the State Department, which is overseeing the remaining USAID programs.

Supporters had projected moving it to the Smithsonian National Museum of American History oregon the National Cathedral, portion a counterproposal suggested moving it to a rented office, according to a erstwhile USAID authoritative acquainted with the substance who spoke connected information of anonymity for fearfulness of reprisal.

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