Federal judge overturns Trump’s efforts to take over and cripple US Institute of Peace

The lengthy ruling from US District Judge Beryl Howell is the latest defeat for the Trump administration in its attempts to exert authority over independent agencies.

USIP is not a federal agency within the executive branch. It was created by Congress as a nonpartisan, independent body in 1984 and owns and manages its headquarters.

“The President second-guessed the judgment of Congress and President Reagan in creating USIP 40 years ago,” Howell, an appointee of former President Barack Obama, wrote in the 102-page ruling.

In March, the Trump administration fired most of USIP’s board and acting President George Moose, and the three remaining board members — Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, Secretary of State Marco Rubio and National Defense University President Peter Garvin — said they were installing Kenneth Jackson as acting USIP president.

Days later, DOGE personnel, accompanied by Washington, DC, police, gained access to the headquarters after having been turned away during an earlier attempt. Some USIP officials remained in the building after DOGE’s arrival, including Moose, a retired career diplomat. He was later forced to exit the building by DC police.

Shortly after, USIP filed suit against the administration in an effort to stop its dismantlement and the transfer of its private building and endowment to the federal government.

Howell wrote that Trump and his subordinates “used brute force and threats of criminal process to take over USIP’s headquarters, despite being cautioned that this organization did not fall within the Executive branch and its leadership was not subject to the President’s unilateral Executive branch removal power.”

“This Administration then went even further, taking severe actions to dissemble USIP, including terminating its appointed Board members, its expert management, its dedicated staff and contractors located in both Washington, D.C. and around the world, and dispersing its assets and headquarters building,” the judge wrote. “These actions against USIP were unlawful.”