In a decisive legal blow to the Department of Governmental Efficiency (DOGE) and the Trump administration, a federal court has ruled their attempted takeover of the United States Institute of Peace (USIP)—including its $500 million headquarters—was unlawful, reported Wired.
In a memorandum opinion, U.S. District Judge Beryl Howell sided with former USIP board members and staff, declaring that their March 2025 removal by DOGE operatives was illegitimate and ordering their reinstatement.
“The purported removal of members of the Board of Directors of the United States Institute of Peace … was unlawful,” Howell wrote. “And therefore null, void, and without legal effect.”
The ruling also voids all actions taken by DOGE appointees, including the controversial transfer of USIP's headquarters to the General Services Administration and the firing of virtually all USIP staff. Howell barred the defendants—including DOGE, President Donald Trump, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, and others—from controlling or accessing any USIP property, files, or digital systems.
The confrontation began after Trump’s February 19 executive order declared USIP “unnecessary,” setting off an aggressive effort to eliminate the congressionally chartered, nonpartisan organization. On March 14, ten board members were fired, and DOGE agents—backed by FBI officers—attempted to forcibly enter USIP's offices. In the days that followed, Inter-Con, USIP’s security contractor, allowed DOGE operatives inside, despite the agency’s efforts to block access.
By March 28, nearly the entire USIP staff had been terminated, and the agency’s $25 million endowment was transferred—its current status unknown.
While earlier rulings left ambiguity around whether USIP fell under executive control, Howell’s latest decision offers sharp clarity: “The president’s efforts here to take over an organization … contrary to statute established by Congress and by acts of force and threat using local and federal law enforcement officers,” she wrote, “represented a gross usurpation of power.”
The defendants have 30 days to appeal. “We are confident we will prevail on appeal, too,” said USIP attorney George Foote.
The future of USIP’s headquarters remains uncertain. According to court filings, the building has already been leased to the Department of Labor. Efforts to recover the property—and the diverted endowment—are now underway.
