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Federal workers block Musk’s ‘Doge’ from shutting down Africa development agency ‘Little agency that could’ cheered for act of resistance against Trump and Musk
(about 3 hours later)
US African Development Foundation staff barred entry to ‘efficiency’ agency, defying Trump’s shutdown order Workers at US African Development Foundation refused to allow Doge operatives to enter headquarters, though they later gained access
Members of Elon Musk’s so-called “department of government efficiency” (Doge) unit were barred from entering a US government agency promoting economic development in Africa after a tense standoff with federal staff they had been sent to fire. Members of Elon Musk’s so-called “department of government efficiency” (Doge) unit were barred from entering a small, independent federal agency promoting economic development in Africa after a tense standoff with federal staff they had been sent to fire.
Workers at the US African Development Foundation (USADF), which Donald Trump has ordered to be closed, refused to allow Doge operatives to enter after they arrived at its Washington headquarters on Wednesday afternoon. Workers at the US African Development Foundation (USADF), which Donald Trump has ordered to be closed, refused to allow Doge operatives to enter after they arrived at its Washington headquarters on Wednesday afternoon. On Thursday, the Doge team returned, accompanied by agents with the US Marshals Service, and Peter Marocco, the acting director of the now-shuttered US Agency for International Development, according to a government official familiar with the situation. This time, they were able to gain access to the building, the official said.
The incident was the latest case of resistance to attempts driven by Trump and Musk to slash the federal workforce by gutting and closing agencies and laying off employees.
Scores of legal challenges have been lodged against the sweeping project to upend the government bureaucracy, producing a spate of court rulings declaring the halting of aid illegal and ordering the reinstatement of fired federal workers.Scores of legal challenges have been lodged against the sweeping project to upend the government bureaucracy, producing a spate of court rulings declaring the halting of aid illegal and ordering the reinstatement of fired federal workers.
In Wednesday’s episode, workers instructed a security guard at USADF’s headquarters to deny the Doge team access when they arrived accompanied by Peter Marocco, the acting director of the now-shuttered US Agency for International Development. Trump is trying to install him in a similar role at USADF. In Wednesday’s episode, workers instructed a security guard at USADF’s headquarters to deny the Doge team access when they arrived with Marocco. Trump is trying to install him in a similar role at USADF.
Staff cited a letter sent by the agency’s chair, Ward Brehm, who was not present at the time, to Doge the previous day making clear that it would not be allowed to enter in his absence. Staff cited a letter sent by the agency’s chair, Ward Brehm, who was not present at the time, to a Doge subordinate the previous day making clear that his team would not be allowed to access the agency’s offices in his absence.
“In my absence, I have specifically instructed the staff of USADF to adhere to our rules and procedure of not allowing any meetings of this type without my presence,” he wrote, according to the Hill, which obtained a copy of the letter. “In my absence, I have specifically instructed the staff of USADF to adhere to our rules and procedure of not allowing any meetings of this type without my presence,” he wrote, according to a copy of the letter reviewed by The Guardian.
Brehm also declined to cooperate with Marocco unless he was officially appointed to the agency’s board.Brehm also declined to cooperate with Marocco unless he was officially appointed to the agency’s board.
“I will look forward to working with Mr Marocco after such time that he is nominated for a seat on the board and his nomination is confirmed by the Senate,” Brehm wrote.“I will look forward to working with Mr Marocco after such time that he is nominated for a seat on the board and his nomination is confirmed by the Senate,” Brehm wrote.
“Until these legal requirements are met, Mr Marocco does not hold any position or office with USADF, and he may not speak or act on the foundation’s behalf.”“Until these legal requirements are met, Mr Marocco does not hold any position or office with USADF, and he may not speak or act on the foundation’s behalf.”
About 30 workers were in the building when Marocco arrived with a Doge team – described as young men wearing backpacks – intent on carrying out firings based on an executive order issued by Trump on 19 February, the Washington Post reported.About 30 workers were in the building when Marocco arrived with a Doge team – described as young men wearing backpacks – intent on carrying out firings based on an executive order issued by Trump on 19 February, the Washington Post reported.
The standoff, led by one of the smallest government agencies, with only about 50 employees, has been cheered by government officials as a mighty act of resistance against Trump and Musk’s war on the federal bureaucracy.
“This is the little agency that could,” the official said.
Trump’s order declared USADF and three other agencies – the Presidio Trust, the Inter-American Foundation (IAF) and the United States Institute of Peace – as “unnecessary” and subject to elimination.Trump’s order declared USADF and three other agencies – the Presidio Trust, the Inter-American Foundation (IAF) and the United States Institute of Peace – as “unnecessary” and subject to elimination.
Wednesday’s standoff followed a similar exchange at the IAF’s headquarters earlier this week.Wednesday’s standoff followed a similar exchange at the IAF’s headquarters earlier this week.
The workers’ defiant stand comes after Democrats publicly condemned the attempted dismantling of the agency as illegal.The workers’ defiant stand comes after Democrats publicly condemned the attempted dismantling of the agency as illegal.
“Any attempt to unilaterally dismantle the USADF through executive action violates the law and exceeds the constitutional limits of executive authority,” Democratic members of the House of Representatives’ foreign affairs committee wrote in a 24 February letter to Trump.“Any attempt to unilaterally dismantle the USADF through executive action violates the law and exceeds the constitutional limits of executive authority,” Democratic members of the House of Representatives’ foreign affairs committee wrote in a 24 February letter to Trump.
A USADF official told the Washington Post the terms of its governing statute meant that it did not have to take orders from Marocco. Democrats have argued that Doge lacks the authority to eliminate an independent entity created by Congress, and that attempts to install Marocco as the acting chair of USADF and IAF is unlawful.
“It’s explicit in the statute that the agency can only be dissolved by an act of Congress and the president can only be hired and fired by the board,” the official said. The official familiar with the situation said said that unlike other federal agencies such as USAID, USADF is a “Congressionally chartered corporation” operated by a board of directors whose members are nominated by the president and confirmed by the Senate.
The agency was created by Congress in 1980 to support small businesses and grassroots organisations serving marginalised communities in Africa. Between 2019 and 2023, it handed out grants worth about $141m to 1,050 community enterprises serving 6.2 million people. “It’s expressed in the statute that you can’t dissolve ADF except by an act of Congress,” the official said. “The President [of ADF] doesn’t take orders from anyone except for the board. The President isn’t even authorized to take orders from President United States.”
The agency, created by Congress in 1980 to support small businesses and grassroots organisations serving marginalised communities in Africa, has long enjoyed broad bipartisan support. Between 2019 and 2023, it handed out grants worth about $141m to 1,050 community enterprises serving 6.2 million people.