The Trump administration's 'assault' on Peace

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Members of the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) broke into the Washington, DC headquarters of the United States Institute of Peace (USIP) on Monday in a foreboding act of violence.

The independent nonprofit institute is not a federal agency; it was created by an act of Congress during the Reagan administration and works to engage in non-violent conflict resolution around the world. But now the violence has been brought to their doorstep, with the government’s forced entry, and reports of vandalization of property and shredding of documents. 

USIP owns their building, unlike federal agencies that have the government as a landlord, but that didn’t stop DOGE from calling in officers from the FBI, Department of State and DC Metropolitan Police (MPD)—plus USIP’s private security contractor—to force their way in. They fired USIP President George Moose and let go of the entire Board of Directors, installing Kenneth Jackson—a person with no affiliation with the institute—as the new president.

It was alarming beyond anything we’d seen so far because Trump has no jurisdiction over this organization, but he sicced his goons on them anyway.

A photo shared directly with me on Wednesday by a USIP staff member shows a pile of large metal letters scattered on the floor of the building’s lobby after DOGE yanked them from the wall where they once spelled out “United States Institute of Peace.” In another photo you can see they also tore down the peace institute’s symbol. The sheer brazenness of the vandalism is nearly outmatched by the irony. 

“This is the clearest sign yet that they know their actions are illegal and likely won’t hold up in court, so they’re trying to damage and demoralize us on the way out,” one USIP staffer told me. “These actions only further waste taxpayer money. Everyone should be outraged by this brazen attempt to take over a private institution that is not under executive branch authority.”

I was first to report last Friday that DOGE arrived at the USIP building in the afternoon to make their first attempt at getting inside. Staffers were then alerted of a building-wide lockdown via an announcement over the PA system from security. The alert did not specify what was happening, just that people could not leave the premises. The lockdown, ordered by President Moose, lasted close to an hour while members of the DOGE team tried to enter the building, multiple people at the institute confirmed with me at the time. After they eventually left, security then escorted out remaining staffers who were told to telework until further notice.

“Several members of DOGE arrived at USIP unannounced & accompanied by two FBI agents,” a statement issued a short time later on the now-defunct USIP website read. “They were met at the door by outside counsel who informed them of USIP’s private & independent status as a non-executive branch agency. Following that discussion, DOGE departed.” 

But Trump’s team didn’t even wait until Monday to explore other avenues for getting their way, we’ve now learned through court documents, personally visiting the home of a high up employee at USIP’s security contractor over the weekend and essentially telling him "you either let us into the building or we're gonna cancel all your other government business." Inter-con, the contractor whose contract had been terminated by USIP the day before, still had possession of a physical key to the building.

Threats of force and violence escalated quickly on Monday when Inter-con personnel accompanied DOGE personnel to the building and used the key to open the door. When USIP called MPD to report them as trespassing, officers arrived a short while later and instead of stepping in to prevent the gross government overreach, they helped DOGE gain full access.

USIP filed a motion for a temporary restraining order Tuesday evening calling DOGE’s actions against them "a lawless assault." The hearing took place at 2pm ET on Wednesday and lasted two hours. I listened in via phone and live-posted about it on Bluesky. You can read the complete thread here. 

Judge Beryl Howell went through the facts of what had already transpired and tried to determine for herself whether or not USIP is, as the government contends court precedent shows, an agency of the Executive branch. USIP’s lawyer noted how DOGE was "moving with lightning speed to gain access to the system,” making an immediate TRO essential for any hope of preserving some of the institute’s physical and digital property.

Judge Howell conveyed disgust at the Trump administration’s “targeting and terrorizing” of USIP staff who were just Americans at work trying to do their jobs, and incredulousness at them viewing their actions as “lawful” enforcement of Trump’s Executive Order targeting USIP and other nonprofits and foundations. 

But the most telling moment of the hearing came when Howell asked USIP’s lawyer what would happen if she granted the TRO.

“Is that just going to invite, like, an armed battle at the institute?” Howell wondered aloud. “Am I going to have to call in a mediator from abroad to help you out here?” 

She pointed out how eagerly law enforcement has been to aid in DOGE’s hostile takeover, implying USIP would be outgunned. It was a stunning admission in a court of law, and revealed the palpable fear that enforcing the law would lead directly to violence. 

Howell ultimately ruled that she would not grant the TRO, allowing the destruction of USIP to play on.

Throughout the hearing and in announcing her decision she expressed confusion about what the plaintiffs were actually seeking, and whether they could prove they’d suffered irreparable harm. But in her stunning about face, it was impossible not to think back to her earlier question about whether an armed battle would ensue as a result of siding with USIP. 

Trump and his team have spent the last week ruthlessly going after Judge James Boasberg, the one who demanded the administration turn around their illegal flights to El Salvador. It wouldn’t be a stretch for Howell to imagine suffering the same fate. Multiple law enforcement agencies proved this week their willingness to use violent force on behalf of Trump against law-abiding Americans; why should a judge be any different? 

Republicans wasted no time trying to spread lies about what really happened at USIP. On Wednesday Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Hell) posted the following on X:

As if destroying documents and tearing down signs wasn’t enough, now they’re trying to rewrite history as it’s happening. Which is a big part of why I felt it was important to write about the truth.

We’ve been told by elected officials since day one of the second Trump administration that ultimately the courts will protect us and that the rule of law will be the firewall between us and fascism. With the exception of USIP,  there have been a slew of wins in the courts of late, which I admit even made me feel hopeful that something was working.

But instead of court losses dissuading Trump from his aggression, it’s only dared him to grow bolder. He’s coming after organizations over which he has no control and buildings which the federal government does not own. He’s sending his people to intimidate private citizens at their own homes. He’s defying court orders and canceling grants and throwing any shred of good this country has ever done in a shallow grave. 

If only there was an organization committed to non-violent conflict resolution to step in and protect us from the forces of evil trying to destroy our government.