The Trump administration said the United States Institute of Peace is on the "right path" to enforce the president's executive actions after a judge ruled in the administration's favor following the office's standoff with a Department of Government Efficiency team. (Win McNamee/Getty Images)
The Institute of Peace is an independent, national institution funded by Congress that was established in 1984 under the Reagan administration to promote peace and diplomacy on the international stage. The institute hit national headlines recently after the Trump administration fired 11 of its 14 board members after the government-funded office failed to comply with a Trump executive order from February requiring it to reduce its size to the statutory minimum.
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"President Trump signed an executive order to reduce USIP to its statutory minimum," White House spokeswoman Anna Kelly said. "After noncompliance, 11 board members were lawfully removed, and remaining board members appointed Kenneth Jackson acting president."
A police vehicle outside the U.S. Institute of Peace in Washington, D.C. (Getty Images)
The standoff heightened on Monday, when Jackson and the DOGE team again attempted to gain entry to the building, while Moose accused them of breaking into the building.
The Metropolitan Police Department reported it had received a call from the United States Attorney’s Office at about 4 p.m. that day regarding an ongoing incident at the institute and reported to the scene.
"MPD members met with the acting USIP President, and he provided the MPD members with documentation that he was the acting USIP President, with all powers delegated by the USIP Board of Directors to that role," the police department said in a news release of Monday's incident. "The acting USIP President advised MPD members that there were unauthorized individuals inside of the building that were refusing to leave and refusing to provide him access to the facility."
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"MPD members went to the USIP building and contacted an individual who allowed MPD members inside of the building," the release stated. "Once inside of the building, the acting USIP President requested that all the unauthorized individuals inside of the building leave."
Signs reading "No Trespassing" are seen on the doors to the United States Institute of Peace building headquarters on March 18, 2025 in Washington, D.C. (Getty Images)
"They barricaded the doors. They also disabled telephone lines, internet connections and other IT infrastructure within the building. They distributed fliers internally, encouraging each other to basically prevent these individuals from accessing the building," Leavitt continued. "It's a resistance from bureaucrats who don't want to see change in this city. President Trump was elected on an overwhelming mandate to seek change and implement change. And this is unacceptable behavior."
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A similar standoff recently occurred between DOGE and the U.S. African Development Foundation when bureaucrats barred the acting head of the U.S. Agency for International Development, Peter Marocco, and DOGE members from the building. The foundation is an independent government agency established in 1980 by Congress to support "African-owned and African-led enterprises," according to its website.
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U.S. African Development Foundation President Ward Brehm, who was fired by the administration in mid-March, subsequently filed a lawsuit against the Trump administration, asking a district court to bar the administration from removing him from his position.
A federal judge denied Brehm's request. Marocco was named acting chairman of the U.S. African Development Foundation's board.
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