Judge Sides With DOGE In US Institute Of Peace Case

Judge rules in favor of Trump’s DOGE takeover of the U.S. Institute of Peace, effectively authorizing the dismantling of the congressionally-established think tank despite desperate resistance from staff who called police to block government representatives from entering the headquarters.

Key Takeaways

A federal judge denied the request to block Trump’s Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) from taking over the U.S. Institute of Peace.
USIP staff and board members filed a lawsuit claiming they were unlawfully fired and had initially called police to prevent DOGE representatives from accessing the headquarters.
The legal battle centers on whether USIP is an independent agency or part of the executive branch, with Trump’s administration asserting presidential authority over the institution.
This ruling is part of a broader Trump administration effort to reduce federal government size, with several other agencies also facing similar challenges.

Legal Battle Over USIP Independence

The U.S. Institute of Peace is fighting for its existence after a federal judge sided with the Trump administration’s Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) in their takeover attempt. Five board members filed a lawsuit after being fired, claiming the executive branch lacks authority over the nonprofit organization established by Congress in 1984. The confrontation escalated to a physical standoff when institute staff initially called police to prevent DOGE representatives from entering the headquarters.

Judge Beryl Howell expressed skepticism about the lawsuit’s likelihood of success, questioning whether board members had suffered irreparable harm. At the heart of the dispute is the fundamental question of whether USIP operates as an independent agency or falls under executive branch control. Government lawyers referenced previous court rulings on presidential power over independent agencies to bolster their position that the administration has authority over the institute.

🚨🇺🇸 FEDERAL JUDGE DENIES USIP REQUEST TO BLOCK DOGE TAKEOVER

A federal judge has denied the U.S. Institute of Peace’s (USIP) emergency request to halt DOGE’s dismantling of the organization, marking a significant legal win for Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency.… https://t.co/80UG5fyR7g pic.twitter.com/l5vpuDX0qn

— DOGE Tracker (@Tracking_DOGE) March 19, 2025

Trump Administration Asserts Control

President Trump’s executive order targeted USIP and three other agencies for significant reductions as part of his promise to streamline government and eliminate wasteful spending. The administration removed 11 of the institute’s 15 board members and ousted its president, George Moose, replacing him with Kenneth Jackson from the U.S. Agency for International Development. The swift and decisive action demonstrates Trump’s commitment to fulfilling his campaign promise to reduce bureaucratic bloat.

“Rogue bureaucrats will not be allowed to hold agencies hostage. The Trump administration will enforce the President’s executive authority and ensure his agencies remain accountable to the American people,” White House spokesperson Anna Kelly said.

After initial resistance, DOGE staff accessed the building with police assistance. “Eventually, all the unauthorized individuals inside of the building complied with the acting USIP President’s request and left the building without further incident,” police reported. This firm response demonstrates the administration’s determination to implement its efficiency measures despite opposition from entrenched bureaucrats who resist accountability reforms.

Broader Government Efficiency Initiative

The USIP takeover is part of Trump’s larger effort to reduce the federal government’s size and bring accountability to entities created by Congress that operate with minimal oversight. Other agencies targeted by the executive order include the Inter-American Foundation and the U.S. African Development Foundation, which have also sued the administration. In a related case, a federal judge ruled it legal to remove most contracts and staff from the U.S.-Africa agency but required DOGE to maintain the agency’s minimum legal function.

“We have been talking to them for many weeks now in anticipation of just this possibility and also to remind them that we are a private, nonprofit corporation in the District of Columbia and therefore not a federal agency, and therefore, the federal government has no entitlement to come in and take over our building,” George Moose said.

Predictably, Democrats in Congress have criticized the initiative, with New York Representative Gregory Meeks and New Hampshire Senator Jeanne Shaheen claiming the administration is attempting “to recklessly dismantle historic US institutions piece by piece.” This overheated rhetoric ignores the legitimate concerns about government waste and the president’s constitutional authority to ensure executive branch efficiency. The court’s ruling affirms the administration’s right to implement these much-needed reforms despite resistance from the Washington establishment.