A federal judge on Monday ruled that the Trump administration’s takeover of the U.S. Institute of Peace was unlawful, and efforts by the Department of Government Efficiency to dismantle the agency are “null and void,” according to court filings.
D.C. federal judge Beryl Howell’s ruling says that President Donald Trump’s unilateral effort to disband the agency, which primarily functions as a think tank supporting both the executive and legislative branches, exceeded his constitutional authorities and violated the statute that established the USIP.
“The President’s efforts here to take over an organization outside of those bounds, contrary to statute established by Congress and by acts of force and threat using local and federal law enforcement officers, represented a gross usurpation of power and a way of conducting government affairs that unnecessarily traumatized the committed leadership and employees of USIP, who deserved better,” Howell wrote of efforts to disband the agency as part of Trump’s plan to slash the federal government.
A statement released by the agency following the ruling said, “The United States Institute of Peace has worked to spread peace and stability around the world for 40 years through its research, training, and peacebuilding activities. Today’s ruling allows USIP to continue that work. … The USIP board, management and staff look forward to restarting USIP’s programs to promote and facilitate peaceful conflict resolution around the world.”
In a hearing in March, officials who were ousted from USIP described in dramatic detail what was essentially a forced takeover of the agency by officials with DOGE, assisted by armed agents with the FBI, members of the D.C. Police Department and officials with the D.C. U.S. Attorney’s Office.
“This conduct of using law enforcement, threatening criminal investigation, using armed law enforcement from three different agencies … to carry out the executive order … with all that targeting probably terrorizing employees and staff at the institute when there are so many other lawful ways to accomplish the goals … why?” Howell asked. “Just because DOGE is in a rush?”
But at the time, Judge Howell turned down an emergency request from the plaintiffs in the lawsuit to reinstate USIP’s board, saying they failed to meet the high legal burden that would warrant a temporary restraining order.
“I’m very offended by how DOGE has operated at the Institute and treated American citizens trying to do a job that they were statutorily tasked to do at the Institute,” Howell wrote in March. “But that concern … is not one that I have that can sway me in my consideration of the factors for a TRO.”
In her ruling Monday, Howell noted that USIP is unique in its status as seemingly a mix between an executive branch agency and a private nonprofit corporation — and that Trump’s aggressive approach to oust its board members and replace them with DOGE officials seemed to violate a statute that required approval by Congress.
“The actions that have occurred … at the direction of the President to reduce USIP to its ‘statutory minimums’ — including the removal of USIP’s president, his replacement by officials affiliated with DOGE, the termination of nearly all of USIP’s staff, and the transfer of USIP property to the General Services Administration (‘GSA’), were thus effectuated by illegitimately-installed leaders who lacked legal authority to take these actions, which must therefore be declared null and void,” Howell wrote.
The administration is likely to appeal the ruling, making it one of a number of ongoing legal fights on appeal regarding President Trump’s removal authorities.
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