The United States Institute of Peace (USIP) is petitioning a court to block what it says is a "lawless assault" by the Department of Government Efficiency that has resulted in the "literal trespass and takeover by force" of its headquarters by DOGE employees.
In its Tuesday court filing, the institute alleged the hostile takeover of its building on Constitution Avenue took place Monday.
"Once physically inside the Institute's headquarters, DOGE personnel and other representatives of Defendants have plundered the offices in an effort to access and gain control of the Institute's infrastructure, including sensitive computer systems," USIP wrote.
The institute is requesting a temporary restraining order to "stop Defendants from completing the unlawful dismantling of the Institute and irreparably impairing Plaintiffs' ability to perform their vital peace promotion and conflict resolution work as tasked by Congress."
Photos viewed by The Hill included with the court filing reportedly show the USIP office after the arrival of DOGE personnel, with the institute's financial documents deposited in a "shred" bin and letters from a torn-down USIP logo lying on the floor.
The institute charges that employees of its former private security contractor gained entry to its building Monday afternoon and triggered a lockdown after they "proceeded to walk toward the Institute's gun safe."
USIP terminated its contract with Inter-Con Security Systems Inc. after it coordinated with DOGE, according to the complaint.
President Donald Trump's Feb. 19 order directed small agencies like USIP to "reduce the performance of their statutory functions and associated personnel to the minimum presence and function required by law."
According to The Hill, the Inter-American Foundation, which addresses Latin American and Caribbean issues, and the U.S. African Development Foundation — both mentioned in Trump's executive order — have also taken legal action.
The institute's court filing claims the Trump administration unlawfully removed all of its board members "who were presidentially appointed and confirmed by the Senate."
A memo from the Justice Department's Office of Legal Counsel reportedly argued Trump had the authority to remove board members from both the Inter-American Foundation and the U.S. African Development Foundation, but it made no mention of USIP.
In the court filing, the institute pushed back on Trump's characterization of it as a governmental entity, arguing that its structure is somewhat different from the other agencies DOGE has dismantled.
Describing itself as an "independent nonprofit corporation," USIP said it was founded in 1984 to "help resolve and prevent violent conflicts."
"That Order incorrectly labeled the Institute a 'governmental entit[y]' that was part of the 'Federal bureaucracy,'" the lawsuit says.
USIP also alleges the Trump administration violated the constitutional separation of powers, as well as the act that established the institute.
A judge has set a 2 p.m. ET hearing to consider the agency's emergency petition.
Nicole Weatherholtz ✉
Nicole Weatherholtz, a Newsmax general assignment reporter covers news, politics, and culture. She is a National Newspaper Association award-winning journalist.
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