A federal judge on Wednesday allowed, for the time being, the takeover of the U.S. Institute of Peace by tech billionaire Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency, after the institute accused Musk’s team of forcibly occupying the building.
The emergency ruling followed DOGE staff gaining access to USIP on Monday with the assistance of police officers. USIP is an independent, nonprofit organization funded by the U.S. Congress, with its Washington headquarters located across the street from the U.S. State Department.
The move by Musk’s team is the latest and potentially most aggressive example of DOGE taking over a building as part of the Trump administration’s effort to reduce the size of government by cutting the 2.3-million-strong federal workforce and lowering costs.
U.S. District Judge Beryl Howell strongly criticized the manner in which Musk’s team entered the building but stated she would not issue a temporary halt to DOGE’s actions. USIP had requested the judge to prevent DOGE “from completing the unlawful dismantling of the Institute.”
Howell described USIP’s lawsuit as “messy,” as it was filed on behalf of only five board members rather than the entire USIP board, and the ousted president was not a plaintiff.
Nevertheless, Howell expressed her concern over DOGE’s entry into USIP with armed police, which she described as “terrorizing.”
“I have to say I am offended on behalf of the American citizens,” she stated, adding that USIP staff had been treated “abominably.”
Howell indicated that she would hold another hearing on the lawsuit but did not specify when.
Following a standoff on Monday, during which a handful of USIP staff initially locked all the building’s doors, DOGE employees, with the assistance of local police, expelled the institute’s president, several staff members, and an attorney from the building.
USIP’s chief security officer stated in an affidavit that he had requested police assistance after DOGE staff attempted to enter the building. However, upon arrival, the police informed him that they were there to remove USIP staff.
A White House spokesperson, in a statement prior to the ruling, asserted that President Donald Trump was exercising his presidential authority and that “rogue bureaucrats will not be allowed to hold agencies hostage.”
USIP, in its lawsuit, labeled DOGE’s entry into the building as “literal trespass and takeover by force.”
The lawsuit further alleged that DOGE personnel had “plundered the offices in an effort to access and gain control of the institute’s infrastructure, including sensitive computer systems.”
DOGE, USIP, and its lawyers did not immediately respond to requests for comment after the ruling. The White House stated it had no immediate comment.
The USIP lawsuit argued that the takeover violated federal law because USIP is not a government entity. The institute was established by Congress in 1984 with a mandate to protect U.S. interests by aiding in the prevention of violent conflicts and brokering peace agreements abroad.
According to a congressional budget forecast, USIP is expected to receive $55 million in funding from Congress this year. It also receives private donations.
On March 14, Trump dismissed the majority of USIP’s board, a move the lawsuit claimed was unlawful due to the absence of any stated reason for their removal.
Three board members, including U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Trump’s Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, remained in place. They removed USIP’s president and installed a Trump loyalist, who was part of the team that entered the building on Monday.
The lawsuit stated that Trump, in an executive order last month, incorrectly designated the organization as a “government entity.” The president’s order deemed the institute “
