Judge rules DOGE can stay at US Institute of Peace after fired staff sue

• A federal judge ruled that DOGE can stay at the U.S. Institute of Peace. Fired staff had sued, seeking a restraining order to remove DOGE.
• Judge Howell criticized DOGE for using law enforcement to enter the building but allowed them to remain while requesting a further hearing.
• This legal battle is part of broader legal challenges against the Trump administration’s efforts to reduce the size of federal agencies.

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A federal judge has ruled that the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) can remain at the U.S. Institute of Peace following a legal battle over access to the building. This decision comes after a previous standoff between fired staff and DOGE officials.

Fired employees terminated last week filed a lawsuit claiming their dismissals were unlawful. They requested a temporary restraining order to remove DOGE from the headquarters. However, the judge ruled that DOGE could stay despite concerns about how they entered the agency.

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Judge ‘offended’ over law enforcement involvement

U.S. District Judge Beryl Howell criticized DOGE staffers for using law enforcement to gain entry after initially being blocked by former senior officials. Howell stated she was “offended” by the tactics used but ultimately allowed DOGE to remain in place.

DOGE had sought to remove George Moose, the now-former president of the Institute, who was preventing their entry. Moose condemned the action, calling it “an illegal takeover by elements of the executive branch of a private nonprofit corporation.”

The Institute’s status and legal disputes

The U.S. Institute of Peace is classified as an independent nonprofit think tank created and funded by Congress. The Trump administration fired its president and certain board members via email last Friday, March 14. The fired employees responded with legal action, seeking immediate intervention to block DOGE’s takeover.

Judge Howell denied the restraining order request, citing confusion within the emergency lawsuit, but scheduled another hearing to clarify the matter.

Kenneth Jackson, a Trump administration State Department official, was named acting president of the Institute by the remaining board members. However, he and DOGE officials were initially prevented from entering the building.

When they attempted to enter, staff inside called police to report trespassers. Jackson informed law enforcement that unauthorized individuals were inside. Eventually, those individuals left on their own, and police escorted Jackson and DOGE staff inside without any arrests.

Other legal disputes over Trump’s executive order

This legal dispute follows President Trump’s recent executive order aimed at closing the U.S. Institute of Peace and other agencies as part of his broader effort to reduce the size of the federal government. The Institute’s official website describes its mission as preventing violent conflicts and brokering peace agreements worldwide, although it went offline as of Wednesday evening, March 19.

White House spokesperson Anna Kelly defended the administration’s actions, stating, “Rogue bureaucrats will not be allowed to hold agencies hostage. The Trump administration will enforce the President’s executive authority and ensure his agencies remain accountable to the American people.”

Democratic lawmakers have strongly opposed DOGE’s takeover of the Institute, calling it a “hostile takeover.”

This case is one of several legal challenges to Trump’s executive orders to downsize federal agencies and their workforce.