A senior official at the U.S. Agency for International Development instructed the agency's remaining staff on Tuesday to pull classified and personal documents from safes and shred and burn them, according to an email verified by The New York Times.
"Shred as many documents first, and reserve the burn bags for when the shredder becomes unavailable or needs a break," read the email written by acting USAID executive secretary Erica Y. Carr.
The Times reported it is unclear if Carr got permission from the National Archives and Records Administration to destroy the documents. The Federal Records Act of 1950 mandates government workers obtain approval from NARA before destroying documents.
USAID, which has a long tradition of operating front organizations on behalf of the CIA, could have documents pertaining to national intelligence, as well as documents from court cases filed against the Trump administration.
The American Foreign Service Association, a union representing diplomats, posted a statement Tuesday that it was "alarmed by reports that U.S.A.I.D. has directed the destruction of classified and sensitive documents that may be relevant to ongoing litigation regarding the termination of U.S.A.I.D. employees and the cessation of U.S.A.I.D. grants."
"Federal law is clear: The preservation of government records is essential to transparency, accountability and the integrity of the legal process. We call for full adherence to federal records preservation laws to ensure accountability and protect the rights of U.S.A.I.D. employees," the statement read.
The union said USAID employees responsible for the destruction of any files could face legal penalties.