Trump Administration Freezes AmeriCorps: 75% of Staff Placed on Leave in Major Government Overhaul

In a sweeping move to downsize the federal government, the Trump administration has placed approximately 75% of AmeriCorps’ full-time employees on administrative leave, signaling a significant restructuring of the agency founded during the Clinton administration.

Out of nearly 700 full-time workers, about 535 staff members were removed from active duty this week. The decision comes as part of a broader initiative aimed at eliminating wasteful spending and reforming or dismantling federal agencies that have long operated with minimal accountability.

Alongside the staff cuts, the administration has canceled nearly $250 million in contracts associated with AmeriCorps programs. The changes also resulted in the early withdrawal of thousands of National Civilian Community Corps (NCCC) volunteers, who primarily consist of young adults aged 18 to 26. These volunteers were pulled from their assignments just days before the agency-wide leave order took effect.

While officials have confirmed that AmeriCorps will continue to operate in some form, the agency’s future remains uncertain. The current plan appears to involve temporarily pausing many of its services while a complete structural overhaul is developed.

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Long History, Troubled Oversight

AmeriCorps was created in 1993 as part of President Bill Clinton’s vision to inspire civic engagement and public service. Since its inception, the organization has offered volunteer opportunities in areas such as education, environmental cleanup, disaster relief, and poverty reduction.

Despite these noble goals, the agency has faced repeated criticism over the years for its lack of financial oversight and operational efficiency. Critics have pointed to a pattern of failed audits and poor internal controls, raising concerns over the billions of taxpayer dollars spent annually.

In the past decade alone, AmeriCorps has failed eight consecutive financial audits, according to congressional watchdogs. Even after repeated pledges to reform, the agency has struggled to correct longstanding issues in grant management, fraud detection, and budgeting.

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Lawmakers Call for Accountability

Republican lawmakers have been vocal in their criticism of AmeriCorps, arguing that the agency has consistently mismanaged its resources and lacks the transparency required of federally funded programs.

One prominent voice, Representative Burgess Owens, said the agency should either undergo a total overhaul or be eliminated altogether. He noted that while some AmeriCorps projects may be well-intentioned, the broader system is deeply flawed and unsustainable in its current form.

“It makes no sense to continue pouring taxpayer dollars into a program that cannot pass a basic audit,” Owens said in a recent statement. “Every year, they promise reform, and every year, nothing changes. It’s time we stop pretending this is a functioning program.”

Owens further noted that AmeriCorps still has dozens of unresolved recommendations from government auditors, despite claims that previous issues have been addressed.

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Budget Cuts and Reprioritization

The freeze on AmeriCorps is just one part of the Trump administration’s larger effort to reduce the size and scope of the federal government. Agencies that fail to meet performance or accountability standards have been placed under review by the Department of Government Efficiency, a new body formed to evaluate federal operations.

Although AmeriCorps’ budget for fiscal year 2024 exceeded $1.2 billion, critics argue that the agency has little to show for it. In addition to general operating expenses, the organization has also committed funds to programs centered around equity, diversity, and climate change—areas some lawmakers believe stray from its core mission.

According to its most recent internal report, AmeriCorps listed “advancing racial and economic equity” as a central priority, promising to align its volunteer work with national conversations on justice and inclusion. However, some lawmakers believe these political priorities have contributed to the agency’s drift away from measurable community service results.

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Future of National Service in Limbo

The decision to sideline most of AmeriCorps’ workforce has sparked concern among nonprofit partners, state-level coordinators, and thousands of communities that rely on the organization’s volunteers.

Many local programs have been disrupted or suspended altogether, with little guidance from the federal government about when—or if—operations will resume. Volunteer teams working in schools, disaster recovery zones, and low-income neighborhoods have been abruptly pulled back, leaving service gaps across the country.

While the administration has not announced a full shutdown of the agency, the scale of the staff reductions and funding cuts suggests AmeriCorps could be permanently transformed—or dismantled entirely—in the months ahead.

As political debates over the role of national service intensify, AmeriCorps has become a symbol of a larger battle between government accountability and community-based programs. For now, the future of the agency—and its mission—is suspended in uncertainty.