As part of its broader initiative to downsize the federal government, the Trump administration has placed approximately 75% of AmeriCorps’ full-time staff on administrative leave. According to internal sources, 535 of the agency’s 700 employees were sidelined, and $250 million in contracts have been terminated. This move aligns with the administration’s efforts to overhaul or eliminate federal programs deemed inefficient or politically motivated, including through the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE). AmeriCorps’ National Civilian Community Corps volunteers—young adults involved in community projects—were pulled from the field in advance of the staffing cuts. Although the White House stated AmeriCorps will continue, it will do so under a yet-to-be-detailed restructured model.
Established in 1993 under President Bill Clinton, AmeriCorps has recently faced increasing criticism for operational shortcomings. The agency has failed eight consecutive audits, with the most recent inspector general report citing an inability to detect fraud and dozens of unresolved recommendations. Rep. Burgess Owens (R-Utah), chair of the House Higher Education and Workforce Development Subcommittee, condemned AmeriCorps for mismanaging over $1 billion in taxpayer funds annually. He took particular aim at the agency’s focus on diversity, equity, inclusion (DEI), and climate initiatives, calling for its overhaul or outright elimination. “Every year they promise reforms, and every year we see no real change,” Owens said. While the Trump administration has not clarified whether the cuts will be permanent, the sweeping changes suggest a major transformation—or potential dissolution—of the national service agency.
