In a brief note posted on the international development agency's website, almost all employees were told they would be put on leave. The note ended with the words, "Thank you for your service."

The argument, made in an affidavit by political appointee and deputy USAID administrator Pete Marocco, comes as the administration confronts a lawsuit by two groups representing federal employees. USAID staffers deny insubordination and call the accusation a pretext to break up the more than 60-year-old agency,

Paul Martin's office put out a report Monday detailing the negative impact of the Trump administration’s push for drastic cuts at the agency.