Federal judge nullifies DOGE takeover of US Institute of Peace

A federal judge in Washington D.C. on Monday ruled that the Trump administration's takeover of the United States Institute of Peace (USIP) was "null and void" because of the "brute force" used to take over its headquarters.

The institute's staff engaged in a standoff with the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) earlier this year, after it initially failed to comply with President Donald Trump's downsizing order. 

The institute is a congressionally funded organization, whose board is appointed by the president and must include the secretaries of State and Defense and president of National Defense University. 

U.S. District Judge Beryl Howell on Monday ruled in a 102-page opinion that DOGE used "brute force" to take over the headquarters and remove its board members and president, despite being warned that USIP was not part of the executive branch. 

Howell said the former board members and president can retain their jobs, and the new people installed by DOGE will be removed. She also barred DOGE officials from returning to the headquarters.

“The President’s efforts here to take over an organization outside of those bounds, contrary to statute established by Congress and by acts of force and threat using local and federal law enforcement officers, represented a gross usurpation of power and a way of conducting government affairs that unnecessarily traumatized the committed leadership and employees of USIP, who deserved better," Howell wrote. 

The ruling comes after the former USIP employees and board members sued the administration over the takeover. 

Howell said no court has ever ruled on where USIP falls within the constitutional structure, but that it is part of the federal government, though it does not exercise “governmental, let alone executive” power, according to The Hill. 

The judge also ruled that DOGE "rushed through action" to shut down the facility without consulting Congress and used "blunt force, backed up by law enforcement officers from three separate local and federal agencies" to enact Trump's executive order.

Misty Severi is a news reporter for Just The News. You can follow her on X for more coverage.