Doge-Affiliated Action According to court documents revealed in a recently filed lawsuit, the chairman of the Peace Institute, an independent think tank funded by Congress, has moved its $500 million head office building to move for free to the General Services Bureau.
Tensions at USIP have been escalating for several weeks. Dismissal On March 14, the agency’s 10 voting committee members and USIP staff denied access to Doge representatives at the entrance. Three days later, Doge employees entered the building. It is reportedly Use physical keys from a former security contractor. The dramatic conflict culminated in a complete takeover, with former State Department civil servant Kenneth Jackson taking on the role of president. This past time Fridaymost USIP staff received a notice of termination.
Former USIP officials have since filed lawsuits against Jackson, Doge, Donald Trump and other members of the Trump administration, calling for immediate intervention “stop defendants from completing illegal dismantling of the institute.” US District Judge Beryl Howell I declined The USIP request for a temporary restraining order that would revive the Institute’s board of directors on March 19th has sharply criticised Doge’s conquest in court.
Court documents filed by the defendants on Monday reveal the next phase of Doge’s USIP plan. As of March 25, Doge staff member Nate Cavanaugh, formally installed at the GSA, replaced Jackson as the representative president of the institute, documents show. They further state that Cavanaugh has been instructed to transfer USIP assets (including its real estate) to the GSA. The letter detailing these changes and directions was signed by Secretary of Defense Pete Hegses and Secretary of State Marco Rubio.
Cavanaugh did not immediately respond to Wired’s request for comment. The Department of Justice’s chief attorney in this case also did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
In another undated letter, also included in a batch of documents filed in the court, Cavanaugh wrote to Acting GSA Administrator Stephen Ehikian: building. “
Cavanaugh estimates the building’s “fair market value” of $500 million.
In another letter included in the docket in the lawsuit dated March 29, Russell Vought, Architects, Management and Budget Director for Project 2025, wrote to approving the request to “set the amount of refunds for the relocation of the US Institute of Peace (USIP) headquarters building.”
To make this clear, Doge has ousted non-executive directors and staff, set up one of its own GSA staff as president, who is now trying to hand over a $500 million head office to the agency he came to at zero cost.
“The efforts to move the building to GSA are part of the Doge Playbook to run its agents through Wood Chipper, and that’s what they’re trying to do,” argues George Foote, a longtime external advisor at USIP. “They are trying to kill the agents, but that’s not the right they have to do.”
Submitted by a former USIP staff lawyer motion Monday to prevent the transfer of assets. On the opposite Court filinga government lawyer claims that “the Institute is an executive body and has determined that it is consistent with the executive order and its legal authority to transfer excess property to the GSA.” February EO It is said to be the “rein in an independent body.”
Judge Howell will decide Tuesday whether the transfer will be permitted in court. A broader ruling for the USIP case is expected by the end of the month.
Additional report by Matt Giles.
