Latest news with #USIP
The Independent
a day ago
- Politics
- The Independent
DOGE guts almost an entire department with one weekend email
The U.S. Institute of Peace (USIP) has been shut down by the White House and remnants of Elon Musk's DOGE initiative, with staff being fired via email. This marks the second attempt to close the federally-funded nonprofit, whose mission involved peacebuilding work in global conflict zones like South Sudan, Iraq, and Afghanistan. The initial attempt in March was blocked by a federal judge but later overturned by an appeals court, paving the way for the latest mass firings. Critics, including a former spokeswoman, condemned the shutdown as constitutional overreach, noting USIP was authorised and funded by Congress, not the Executive Branch. The closure of USIP is part of a broader pattern where the administration has sought to dismantle or scale back agencies established by Congress, including attempts to target the Department of Education and FEMA.
CNN
3 days ago
- Business
- CNN
US Institute of Peace employees experience another round of mass firings following court ruling
Employees at the United States Institute of Peace were terminated for a second time by the Trump administration, after a federal court ruling last month paved the way, according to multiple fired employees. Liz Callihan, a now-former employee, said Department of Government Efficiency personnel installed at USIP notified the staff of the firings with a 'few remaining employees retained to conduct close-out activities and wind down USIP.' 'These actions reflect a continued pattern of DOGE's cruel indifference toward USIP's dedicated workforce. Beyond the harm to these committed professionals, such reckless actions will immediately end the important training, education, facilitation, and research work that USIP does around the world in the field of conflict resolution,' Callihan, a former senior adviser for strategic engagement at USIP, said in a statement. The administration has attempted to reimagine the role of the US abroad and dramatically dismantle key parts of the federal government through DOGE. In recent months, though, it has quietly backtracked in some cases as federal agencies have rehired and ordered back from leave some employees as a result of it scrambling to fill critical gaps. CNN has reached out to the White House for comment. Callihan, who has been with USIP since 2012, said it's been 'devastating' and emotional with the 'constant change and flux and tumult.' She was a part of the 'landing team,' who were brought back to rebuild operations and programs after the first round of mass firings. Those employees began receiving their termination notice Friday afternoon. The rest of the USIP workforce, who had been furloughed, began receiving their letters in the evening. USIP employees originally received termination letters on March 28, though a federal judge ruled in May that the Trump administration unlawfully removed the board of USIP and that subsequent actions taken by officials installed by DOGE to cripple the agency are therefore 'null and void.' In late June, a federal appeals court stayed that ruling, leading to this week's firings. Hodei Sultan, another employee on the landing team who was fired on Friday, has been working with the institute since 2009 and oversaw operations and strategy within the Asia center. She said the personal impact of the recent firings is 'really horrific.' 'Both on March 28 and on July 11, they have a tendency to do these mass firings at night,' she said. 'We joked about it, but 'Friday night massacre 1.0,' and last night was 'Friday massacre 2.0.' So the intention is very much mental torture and emotional anguish, whether that's inflicted on the partners and individuals in these conflict environments that so desperately need our help and support, but also the staff.' 'DOGE succeeded in getting a stay of the district court's order,' Callihan said in her statement. 'Having regained control of USIP, DOGE is renewing its mistreatment of USIP employees and its systematic dismantling of an institution authorized by Congress to promote peacebuilding efforts around the world.' USIP is not a federal agency within the executive branch. It was created by Congress as a nonpartisan, independent body in 1984 that owns and manages its headquarters. The institute, which was founded during the Reagan administration, 'promotes research, policy analysis, education, and training on international peace and conflict resolution in an effort to prevent and resolve violent conflicts, and to promote post-conflict stability,' according to a description on The Trump administration has had a series of significant wins in recent weeks, including in the Supreme Court, which, earlier this month backed Trump's effort to carry out mass firings and reorganizations at federal agencies. It put on hold a lower court order that had temporarily blocked the president from taking those steps without approval from Congress. The employees at USIP are the latest group of mass firings as part of the Trump administration's broader efforts to shrink the federal government. The State Department also began firing more than 1,300 people on Friday as part of a dramatic overhaul of the agency. The State Department firings will affect 1,107 civil service and 246 foreign service officers in Washington, DC, an internal notice seen by CNN said. Those fired on Friday worked on issues like countering violent extremism; helping Afghans who fled after the Taliban takeover; educational exchanges; and issues related to women's rights, refugees and climate change. Sultan pointed to the recent firings at the State Department and said the 'US is very much losing its credence and credibility on the world stage.' 'We're completely self-isolating from the world and pulling away on this vital livelihood foreign assistance, foreign aid programs that were more than just helping people in other countries. They really were about flexing our soft power approach and making sure that we were a credible partner on the world stage,' she said.
CNN
3 days ago
- Business
- CNN
US Institute of Peace employees experience another round of mass firings following court ruling
Employees at the United States Institute of Peace were terminated for a second time by the Trump administration, after a federal court ruling last month paved the way, according to multiple fired employees. Liz Callihan, a now-former employee, said Department of Government Efficiency personnel installed at USIP notified the staff of the firings with a 'few remaining employees retained to conduct close-out activities and wind down USIP.' 'These actions reflect a continued pattern of DOGE's cruel indifference toward USIP's dedicated workforce. Beyond the harm to these committed professionals, such reckless actions will immediately end the important training, education, facilitation, and research work that USIP does around the world in the field of conflict resolution,' Callihan, a former senior adviser for strategic engagement at USIP, said in a statement. The administration has attempted to reimagine the role of the US abroad and dramatically dismantle key parts of the federal government through DOGE. In recent months, though, it has quietly backtracked in some cases as federal agencies have rehired and ordered back from leave some employees as a result of it scrambling to fill critical gaps. CNN has reached out to the White House for comment. Callihan, who has been with USIP since 2012, said it's been 'devastating' and emotional with the 'constant change and flux and tumult.' She was a part of the 'landing team,' who were brought back to rebuild operations and programs after the first round of mass firings. Those employees began receiving their termination notice Friday afternoon. The rest of the USIP workforce, who had been furloughed, began receiving their letters in the evening. USIP employees originally received termination letters on March 28, though a federal judge ruled in May that the Trump administration unlawfully removed the board of USIP and that subsequent actions taken by officials installed by DOGE to cripple the agency are therefore 'null and void.' In late June, a federal appeals court stayed that ruling, leading to this week's firings. Hodei Sultan, another employee on the landing team who was fired on Friday, has been working with the institute since 2009 and oversaw operations and strategy within the Asia center. She said the personal impact of the recent firings is 'really horrific.' 'Both on March 28 and on July 11, they have a tendency to do these mass firings at night,' she said. 'We joked about it, but 'Friday night massacre 1.0,' and last night was 'Friday massacre 2.0.' So the intention is very much mental torture and emotional anguish, whether that's inflicted on the partners and individuals in these conflict environments that so desperately need our help and support, but also the staff.' 'DOGE succeeded in getting a stay of the district court's order,' Callihan said in her statement. 'Having regained control of USIP, DOGE is renewing its mistreatment of USIP employees and its systematic dismantling of an institution authorized by Congress to promote peacebuilding efforts around the world.' USIP is not a federal agency within the executive branch. It was created by Congress as a nonpartisan, independent body in 1984 that owns and manages its headquarters. The institute, which was founded during the Reagan administration, 'promotes research, policy analysis, education, and training on international peace and conflict resolution in an effort to prevent and resolve violent conflicts, and to promote post-conflict stability,' according to a description on The Trump administration has had a series of significant wins in recent weeks, including in the Supreme Court, which, earlier this month backed Trump's effort to carry out mass firings and reorganizations at federal agencies. It put on hold a lower court order that had temporarily blocked the president from taking those steps without approval from Congress. The employees at USIP are the latest group of mass firings as part of the Trump administration's broader efforts to shrink the federal government. The State Department also began firing more than 1,300 people on Friday as part of a dramatic overhaul of the agency. The State Department firings will affect 1,107 civil service and 246 foreign service officers in Washington, DC, an internal notice seen by CNN said. Those fired on Friday worked on issues like countering violent extremism; helping Afghans who fled after the Taliban takeover; educational exchanges; and issues related to women's rights, refugees and climate change. Sultan pointed to the recent firings at the State Department and said the 'US is very much losing its credence and credibility on the world stage.' 'We're completely self-isolating from the world and pulling away on this vital livelihood foreign assistance, foreign aid programs that were more than just helping people in other countries. They really were about flexing our soft power approach and making sure that we were a credible partner on the world stage,' she said.
CNN
3 days ago
- Business
- CNN
US Institute of Peace employees experience another round of mass firings following court ruling
Employees at the United States Institute of Peace were terminated for a second time by the Trump administration, after a federal court ruling last month paved the way, according to multiple fired employees. Liz Callihan, a now-former employee, said Department of Government Efficiency personnel installed at USIP notified the staff of the firings with a 'few remaining employees retained to conduct close-out activities and wind down USIP.' 'These actions reflect a continued pattern of DOGE's cruel indifference toward USIP's dedicated workforce. Beyond the harm to these committed professionals, such reckless actions will immediately end the important training, education, facilitation, and research work that USIP does around the world in the field of conflict resolution,' Callihan, a former senior adviser for strategic engagement at USIP, said in a statement. The administration has attempted to reimagine the role of the US abroad and dramatically dismantle key parts of the federal government through DOGE. In recent months, though, it has quietly backtracked in some cases as federal agencies have rehired and ordered back from leave some employees as a result of it scrambling to fill critical gaps. CNN has reached out to the White House for comment. Callihan, who has been with USIP since 2012, said it's been 'devastating' and emotional with the 'constant change and flux and tumult.' She was a part of the 'landing team,' who were brought back to rebuild operations and programs after the first round of mass firings. Those employees began receiving their termination notice Friday afternoon. The rest of the USIP workforce, who had been furloughed, began receiving their letters in the evening. USIP employees originally received termination letters on March 28, though a federal judge ruled in May that the Trump administration unlawfully removed the board of USIP and that subsequent actions taken by officials installed by DOGE to cripple the agency are therefore 'null and void.' In late June, a federal appeals court stayed that ruling, leading to this week's firings. Hodei Sultan, another employee on the landing team who was fired on Friday, has been working with the institute since 2009 and oversaw operations and strategy within the Asia center. She said the personal impact of the recent firings is 'really horrific.' 'Both on March 28 and on July 11, they have a tendency to do these mass firings at night,' she said. 'We joked about it, but 'Friday night massacre 1.0,' and last night was 'Friday massacre 2.0.' So the intention is very much mental torture and emotional anguish, whether that's inflicted on the partners and individuals in these conflict environments that so desperately need our help and support, but also the staff.' 'DOGE succeeded in getting a stay of the district court's order,' Callihan said in her statement. 'Having regained control of USIP, DOGE is renewing its mistreatment of USIP employees and its systematic dismantling of an institution authorized by Congress to promote peacebuilding efforts around the world.' USIP is not a federal agency within the executive branch. It was created by Congress as a nonpartisan, independent body in 1984 that owns and manages its headquarters. The institute, which was founded during the Reagan administration, 'promotes research, policy analysis, education, and training on international peace and conflict resolution in an effort to prevent and resolve violent conflicts, and to promote post-conflict stability,' according to a description on The Trump administration has had a series of significant wins in recent weeks, including in the Supreme Court, which, earlier this month backed Trump's effort to carry out mass firings and reorganizations at federal agencies. It put on hold a lower court order that had temporarily blocked the president from taking those steps without approval from Congress. The employees at USIP are the latest group of mass firings as part of the Trump administration's broader efforts to shrink the federal government. The State Department also began firing more than 1,300 people on Friday as part of a dramatic overhaul of the agency. The State Department firings will affect 1,107 civil service and 246 foreign service officers in Washington, DC, an internal notice seen by CNN said. Those fired on Friday worked on issues like countering violent extremism; helping Afghans who fled after the Taliban takeover; educational exchanges; and issues related to women's rights, refugees and climate change. Sultan pointed to the recent firings at the State Department and said the 'US is very much losing its credence and credibility on the world stage.' 'We're completely self-isolating from the world and pulling away on this vital livelihood foreign assistance, foreign aid programs that were more than just helping people in other countries. They really were about flexing our soft power approach and making sure that we were a credible partner on the world stage,' she said.
28-06-2025
- Business
Appeals court puts peace institute back in Trump administration hands with stay of lower court
WASHINGTON -- A federal appeals court panel on Friday stayed a lower court ruling that blocked the Trump administration from moving forward with dismantling the U.S. Institute of Peace, an organization taken over in March by the Department of Government Efficiency, then led by Elon Musk. The three-judge panel with the U.S. Appeals Court for the District of Columbia Circuit issued the stay, saying the Trump administration's appeal of U.S. District Court Judge Beryl Howell's opinion would likely succeed on the merits. The stay added that the president would face 'irreparable harm from not being able to fully exercise his executive powers.' In filings with the higher court supporting its request for an appeal and a stay of Howell's order, the government argued that 'as evidenced by its programmatic, grant making and peacebuilding activities, USIP' was exercising 'considerable executive power.' The filings also went on to explain the board members are 'subject to the president's at-will removal authority.' In issuing the stay, the appeals court agreed and said the nonprofit think tank that focuses on peace initiatives is engaged in activities that fall under the purview of the executive branch. 'Today's decision is a great victory for the American taxpayer. As we have said time and again, the President has the right to manage entities within the Executive Branch — including the so-called 'Institute of Peace,' which cost taxpayers over $50 million per year while failing to deliver peace,' said White House spokesperson Anna Kelly. 'The President looks forward to continuing to implement his government efficiency agenda.' The appeal's court action is the latest turn in the government's shutdown of the USIP, which had been turned back over to the organization's board and acting president following Howell's May 19 ruling. It also places the staff's attempt at restarting its operations in limbo. President Donald Trump issued the executive order in February that targeted the institute and three other agencies for closure in an effort to deliver on campaign promises to shrink the size of the federal government. The first attempt by DOGE to take over the headquarters led to a standoff. Members of Musk's DOGE group returned days later with the FBI and Washington, D.C., Metropolitan Police to help them gain entry. The institute and many of its board members sued the Trump administration March 18, seeking to prevent their removal and to prevent DOGE from taking over its operations. The firing of the board was followed by a Friday night mass firing by email on March 28, which threw the workforce into turmoil. DOGE transferred the administrative oversight of the organization's headquarters and assets to the General Services Administration that weekend. Howell, in a lengthy opinion in May, reversed the action when she determined the organization was not part of the executive branch and therefore Trump did not have authority to fire its board and acting president. She ruled that all subsequent actions, including the firing of most of the staff, the cessation of operations and the takeover of its headquarters and assets, were illegal as well. Howell denied a government request for a stay of her opinion while the government appeals, a move that led acting president George Moose and others to reclaim the headquarters and begin trying to ramp USIP's operations back up. Those efforts have been slow going, with much of the staff still furloughed and operations in parts of the world shut down. It was unclear Friday if there would be another change of hands of the headquarters. A press statement from the organization said 'we will continue to fight for USIP's right to fulfill its commitment to our congressional mandate and to control USIP's headquarters, funds, and operations to the fullest extent of the law. We remain confident we will prevail in this case and we look forward to continuing our critical work both at our headquarters in Washington, DC and in conflict zones around the world."
