A career official at the U.S. Agency of International Development tied to undo President Trump’s Monday firings of top officials. But that has backfired.

That official is now on administrative leave, which is just their parlance for being fired from that position.

President Trump fired these officials for refusing to follow his executive order related to DEI and overseas federal funding.

Here’s more from WAPO writer John Hudson:

The Trump administration’s purge of dozens of senior officials at the U.S. Agency for International Development encountered resistance on Thursday when the career employee who carried out the original directive rescinded it, calling the purge an “illegal” violation of “due process.”

The official was then promptly placed on administrative leave — according to emails obtained by The Washington Post — in the latest convulsion stemming from President Donald Trump’s 90-day freeze on foreign aid, which has ground to a halt humanitarian aid programs around the world and prompted U.S. contractors to furlough hundreds of employees and prepare to let go many thousands more.

“DOGE instructed me to violate the due process of our employees by issuing immediate termination notices to a group of employees without due process,” wrote Nicholas Gottlieb, the director of employee and labor relations at USAID, referring to the budget-slashing commission known as the “Department of Government Efficiency.” “I was notified moments ago that I will be placed on administrative leave, effective immediately. It has been an honor working with you all.”

More than 50 senior career USAID officials were put on administrative leave Monday, including deputy administrators and deputy assistant administrators.

The ousters, which came without warning, were followed by an explanation that the officials were trying to undermine the aid freeze, according to an agency-wide memo signed by Jason Gray, the newly installed acting administrator of USAID.

“We have identified several actions within USAID that appear to be designed to circumvent the President’s Executive orders and the mandate from the American people,” said Gray, who is also the chief information officer. “As a result, we have placed a number of USAID employees on administrative leave with full pay and benefits until further notice.”

This is what happens when you try to undermine or circumvent President Trump’s orders. These unelected bureaucrats need to comply or quit the federal government, it’s really that simple. There’s a new president in town and his word is law, as far as they are concerned.