(DCNF)—Officials at the U.S. Institute of Peace (USIP) called police Monday in a failed effort to block personnel from Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) from entering their Washington headquarters.
Former USIP officials insisted DOGE had no authority to enter the building and remove its staff, claiming the institute operates independently of executive branch control despite operating almost entirely on federal funding. USIP, established by Congress in 1984, claims its mission is to “prevent violent conflicts and broker peace deals abroad,” despite the U.S. having been involved in numerous military interventions, prolonged wars and rising global instability in the decades since.
“DOGE has broken into our building,” George Moose, USIP’s acting president until his dismissal last week, told reporters Monday. “What has happened here is an illegal takeover by elements of the executive branch of a private non-profit.”
Mr. Moose denied lawful access to Kenneth Jackson, the Acting USIP President (as approved by the USIP Board). @DCPoliceDept arrived onsite and escorted Mr. Jackson into the building. The only unlawful individual was Mr. Moose, who refused to comply, and even tried to fire USIP’s… https://t.co/Fy8hJClx9E pic.twitter.com/yqq81qNKXM
— Department of Government Efficiency (@DOGE) March 18, 2025
The confrontation comes after President Donald Trump replaced the institute’s leadership via executive order last week — a directive eliminating the “non-statutory components and functions” of various government entities — and appointed Kenneth Jackson as acting president, who arrived alongside DOGE representatives and law enforcement.
The institute has been the subject of skepticism throughout its existence, with its effectiveness questioned across party lines. Former Republican Utah Rep. Jason Chaffetz and former Democratic New York Rep. Anthony Weiner previously excoriated the institute in a 2011 Wall Street Journal op-ed, calling it a “case study in how government waste thrives.” The USIP requested $55,459,000 for fiscal year 2025 to “promote global peace and security,” according to its website.
“The idea began during the Cold War as a modest proposal with $4 million in seed money,” they wrote. “But the organization received government funding year after year essentially because it had been funded the year before — and because it had important allies.”
Democrats today argue the president’s efforts to pare wasteful government programs through DOGE raise legal questions regarding the boundaries of executive authority over federally funded nonprofits. Democratic Virginia Rep. Don Beyer characterized Monday’s “break-in” as part of a broader pattern of overreach by DOGE, calling USIP “independent.”
“I was at USIP tonight to conduct congressional oversight over DOGE’s break in,” Beyer wrote on Bluesky. “USIP is an independent, non-profit entity and I will work to stop DOGE’s illegal power grab.”
I was at USIP tonight to conduct congressional oversight over DOGE’s break in. I spoke with Acting President & CEO Moose. USIP is an independent, non-profit entity and I will work to stop DOGE’s illegal power grab.
— Congressman Don Beyer (@beyer.house.gov) 2025-03-18T01:54:46.501Z
The incident at USIP mirrors recent confrontations involving other government-funded initiatives resisting the Trump administration’s attempts to restructure or eliminate their operations. Last week, DOGE personnel gained court approval to enter offices of the African Development Foundation, despite attempts by its leadership to block entry.
The White House defended DOGE’s entry, asserting that federally funded nonprofits should not be exempt from reforms aimed at cutting wasteful spending.
“Eleven board members were lawfully removed, and remaining board members appointed Kenneth Jackson acting president,” White House spokesperson Anna Kelly told the the Daily Caller News Foundation. “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.”
USIP’s X account no longer exists as of Tuesday.
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