On Monday, police escorted the president of the United States Institute of Peace (USIP) out of his office in Washington, following his contested eviction by a commission aiming to cut public expenditure.
The Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), led by tech billionaire Elon Musk, asserted on X that George Moose, the president of USIP, had "illegally refused access" to his designated successor.
President Donald Trump signed an executive order last month targeting the dismantling of USIP alongside several other government agencies.
Founded in 1984 under President Ronald Reagan, USIP is an independent non-profit organisation funded by Congress, dedicated to helping the United States prevent and resolve international conflicts.
The Trump administration announced it had dismissed all members of USIP’s bipartisan board, except three, including Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth.
These remaining members decided to terminate George Moose’s presidency, but Moose argued that the institute is independent of government authority due to its direct Congressional funding.
On Monday, Moose refused to grant access to the building in Washington to Kenneth Jackson, the appointed successor.
The Washington police arrived and escorted Jackson into the building, stating that Moose was the only individual defying the law, according to a post by the DOGE commission on X.
Led by Elon Musk, who became a close ally of Trump during the presidential campaign, the commission has commenced dismantling several government agencies accused of fraud and wasteful spending.
This move has faced criticism from the Democratic opposition and unions, who consider it both brutal and illegal, as Musk holds no electoral mandate or government portfolio. Numerous legal challenges have been filed.
