Doge Intrudes: US Institute of Peace Building Breached in Latest Twist
Staff members from Elon Musk's Department of Government Efficiency (Doge) have accessed premises at the U.S. Institute of Peace, even though the organization has protested against this action claiming they operate as an autonomous body outside the executive branch.
The organization's CEO, George Moose, stated: "Doge has infiltrated our premises." On Monday night, police vehicles surrounded the building in Washington.
Doge employees managed to enter the premises following multiple failed tries on Monday, despite being denied entry earlier on Friday, according to a high-ranking United States Institute of Peace representative who chose to remain anonymous because of the issue’s sensitive nature.
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Initially, it wasn't evident what the Doge team members were seeking or investigating inside the nonprofit’s facility, located just opposite the State Department in the Foggy Bottom area.
US President Donald Trump aimed at the organization and several others through an executive order issued on February 19, which seeks to reduce the scale of the federal government. Following this, the administration took steps to terminate positions and end certain initiatives within these organizations.
Doge has shown interest in the US Institute of Peace for several weeks, yet legal advisors have denied this proposal. They maintain that due to the institute’s special standing, it cannot undergo the type of restructuring being applied to other federal entities.
On Friday, members of Doge came accompanied by two FBI agents. However, these agents departed following the institute’s legal counsel informing them about USIP's “private and independent nature,” according to an official statement from the organization.
According to its website, the US Institute of Peace describes itself as a nonpartisan, independent organization aimed at safeguarding American interests by working towards conflict prevention and facilitating peace agreements internationally.
The nonprofit states that it was established by Congress in 1984 as an "independent nonprofit entity," and it doesn't align with the US Code classifications of "government corporation," "government-controlled corporation," or "independent establishment."
The executive order issued by Trump also included the US African Development Foundation, a federal body that supports small enterprises in Africa; the Inter-American Foundation, another federal entity investing in regions including Latin America and the Caribbean; as well as the Presidio Trust, responsible for managing a national park situated adjacent to the Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco.
The African Development Foundation, which had previously attempted without success to prevent Doge employees from accessing their offices in Washington, took the matter to court. However, a federal judge recently decided that terminating most grants and reducing staff was within legal bounds. In related news, the head of the Inter-American Foundation filed a lawsuit on Monday aiming to halt her dismissal scheduled for February by the Trump administration.