Jeremy Lewin’s unauthorized actions at USAID trigger mass firings and legal battles
Jeremy Lewin, a 28-year-old policy operative linked to DOGE, assumed top roles at the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) without completing standard employment paperwork. His actions—including terminating thousands of employees and canceling critical aid programs—have sparked lawsuits and raised serious questions about the legality of his authority.
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How Lewin assumed power without formal employment
In January 2025, Jeremy Lewin began serving at USAID as a senior adviser and director of strategy and programs. However, he did not complete the required federal employment paperwork, including the OF-306 form, which is mandatory for pre-employment background screening. Without this form, federal agencies cannot legally finalize a job offer or appointment, according to legal experts.
By late March, USAID’s human resources and security teams had no record of Lewin’s employment, preventing him from receiving an official ID card. An internal communication revealed that the agency’s secure database had no entry for him, describing him as "the equivalent of an administrative ghost." No delegation documents for Lewin’s role were seen by USAID HR until late April, weeks after he began exercising sweeping powers.
Legal basis for Lewin’s appointment under scrutiny
Lewin’s authority was delegated by Senator Marco Rubio on March 18, 2025, using an obscure legal provision, 22 U.S.C. § 2385(b). This statute is traditionally reserved for deploying emergency-response staff to disaster zones abroad. Rubio’s use of this provision to appoint Lewin—a political operative with no prior federal employment at USAID—has been described as a "legal contortion" by experts.
Legal scholars argue that Lewin’s actions before his formal appointment may have violated federal employment laws. The Federal Vacancies Reform Act specifies who can temporarily fill Senate-confirmed positions, and Lewin did not meet the criteria of being a first assistant, another Senate-confirmed official, or a longtime civil servant at USAID.
Further complicating matters, Lewin’s team issued orders to lock all USAID staff out of email and communication systems before his formal appointment. He also signed off on the termination of 57 top officials and later fired thousands of career civil service and Foreign Service staff, actions that are now the subject of multiple lawsuits.
Mass firings and canceled aid programs lead to lawsuits
Between March 18 and April 4, Lewin personally approved the termination of thousands of USAID employees and canceled lifesaving aid programs worldwide. On March 28, he signed a letter terminating all remaining USAID staff, effectively liquidating the agency’s 60 overseas missions and halting thousands of projects.
These actions prompted lawsuits from current and former USAID employees and contractors. In February 2025, two dozen plaintiffs sued DOGE and the Trump administration in Maryland District Court, arguing that special government employees lacked the authority to execute such sweeping actions. A preliminary injunction was granted on March 18, but the Justice Department secured an emergency stay on March 28, allowing the mass firings to proceed.
The district court later permitted thousands of affected employees to sue as a group and ordered the government to produce internal documents. Kevin Byrnes, a federal employment law attorney, is representing over 170 former and current USAID staff in a separate suit challenging DOGE’s role in the firings.
Legal experts question Lewin’s authority and actions
Legal scholars have raised concerns about the legality of Lewin’s actions, particularly his authority to terminate employees and cancel programs before his formal appointment. David A. Super, a professor of law and economics at Georgetown University, questioned whether Lewin met the legal requirements to assume such power.
Nina Mendelson, a law professor at the University of Michigan, emphasized that cabinet secretaries can only delegate authority to subordinate officials who are already agency employees or officers. Lewin’s lack of formal employment at USAID during the period in question further complicates the legal landscape.
Brian Feinstein, a law professor at the Wharton School of Business, described the situation as unprecedented, noting that the use of emergency provisions to justify such sweeping actions sets a concerning precedent for federal employment law.
What this means
Lazyfounder analysis — our interpretation, not reported fact.
Lewin’s case exposes vulnerabilities in the legal frameworks governing federal appointments and workforce reductions. For founders and operators, this story underscores the risks of relying on informal or legally ambiguous appointments within government agencies, even for temporary roles. The mass firings and canceled aid programs demonstrate how quickly operational disruptions can occur when legal authority is contested. Startups and contractors working with federal agencies should closely monitor such developments, as changes in leadership—especially those lacking clear legal grounding—can abruptly alter contracts, funding, and program continuity.
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About the author
Editor, Lazyfounder
Tarun Mottlia edits LazyFounders, covering Indian startups, funding rounds, AI and product launches. Every story on the site is AI-assisted and checked against its cited sources before publication.
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