President Donald Trump issued an executive order on his first day in office Jan. 20 that announced a 90-day freeze in U.S. foreign development assistance, forcing mass layoffs and furloughs. There have been a few exceptions to the funding freeze, such as emergency food assistance.

The buyout is one of many approaches Trump is taking to slash a civilian workforce of 2.3 million that he has blasted as ineffective and biased against him.

A federal judge on Thursday extended a pause on the Trump administration's plan to put thousands of U.S. Agency for International Development workers on leave until next Friday while he considers a lawsuit by government employees.