Trump Administration Lays Off Nearly All Staff Members of the U.S. Institute of Peace Headquarters
Donald Trump’s administration has fired almost all staff at the US Institute of Peace (USIP) headquarters, informs The Washington Post with reference to sources inside the institution. According to Elon Musk’s Department for Government Efficiency (DOGE), the layoffs will cover 200 to 300 employees — nearly half of the organization’s roughly 600-strong workforce.
Some employees were offered financial compensation or continued health insurance in exchange for agreeing not to appeal the dismissal. The Institute’s leadership tried to convince the DOGE that, as a registered non-profit organization, USIP did not fall under the purview of a government department, but the defense failed.
The institute, created by the decision of the Congress, is officially engaged in the prevention and settlement of conflicts in the hot spots of the world, in particular in Ukraine, the Philippines, and in African countries. The organization is currently trying to defend its rights in court.
In March, USIP employees filed a lawsuit that names Donald Trump, Elon Musk and other DOGE officials. The lawsuit states that the executive branch had no legal basis to dispose of the institute’s personnel or property, as it was created by the legislative branch of government. A separate item concerns illegal claims to the headquarters premises in Washington, which is the private property of the organization.
A federal judge hearing the case condemned the administration’s actions, but declined to impose a temporary ban on their implementation. The court hearing in the case is scheduled for the end of April.
