The U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) has instructed its employees to stay home on Monday following an announcement by Elon Musk that US President Donald Trump had agreed to shut down the agency.

An internal notice sent to USAID employees informed them that the agency’s headquarters would be closed for the day, with personnel expected to work remotely unless they had essential on-site duties, such as building maintenance.

The message also revealed that over 600 employees had been locked out of the agency’s computer systems overnight.

Those who remained connected to the system received an email saying that the closure was “at the direction of agency leadership” and that the headquarters building “will be closed to agency personnel on Monday, Feb. 3.”

“Agency personnel normally assigned to work at USAID headquarters will work remotely tomorrow, with the exception of personnel with essential on-site and building maintenance functions individually contacted by senior leadership,” the email said. “Further guidance will be forthcoming.”

USAID’s closure follows comments by Elon Musk earlier Monday, where he disclosed that President Trump had agreed with his assessment that the U.S. Agency for International Development, a six-decade-old government agency responsible for global aid and development, should be shut down.

Musk had also called USAID a “criminal organization,” as President Donald Trump claimed the agency was “run by radical lunatics” and said he was considering its future, as per an AFP report.

“USAID is a criminal organization,” Musk, the billionaire owner of Tesla and SpaceX who has become the president’s most powerful backer, wrote on his X platform, replying to a video alleging USAID involvement in “rogue CIA work.”

In a subsequent post, Musk doubled down and, without giving evidence, asked his 215 million X followers, “Did you know that USAID, using YOUR tax dollars, funded bioweapon research, including COVID-19, that killed millions of people?”

He did not elaborate on the allegations, which officials in the previous administration linked to a Russian disinformation campaign.

AFP claims that the assault on the agency tasked with humanitarian relief overseas marks a significant new front in Trump’s move to give unprecedented power to Musk to upend government departments and counter what the pair consider wasteful official spending and overreach.

Meanwhile, Trump also claims that USAID has “been run by a bunch of radical lunatics, and we’re getting them out… and then we’ll make a decision (on its future).”

Trump underscored his support for Musk, telling reporters Sunday night he felt Musk was “doing a good job.”

USAID, an independent agency established by an act of Congress, manages a budget of $42.8 billion meant for humanitarian relief and development assistance around the world.