Trump Team’s Shock Raid on U.S. Institute of Peace Sparks Political Firestorm

Cost-cutters from President Donald Trump’s administration, along with his billionaire associate Elon Musk, took control of the U.S. Institute of Peace on Monday, ousting the center’s leader. This taxpayer-funded institution is dedicated to conflict resolution.

This non-violent yet dramatic standoff is part of Trump’s ongoing efforts to dismantle established norms as he pursues his “America First” agenda. Last month, Trump issued an order directing the complete elimination of the U.S. Institute of Peace—a mandate originally established by President Ronald Reagan in 1984 to help the U.S. prevent and resolve international conflicts.

The institute stated that it was complying with the directives of Musk’s newly formed Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), presenting evidence of its cost-effectiveness. It highlighted that it owns its building, a modern structure located adjacent to the State Department with expansive views of the National Mall, and that its $55 million annual budget comes directly from Congress.

Despite this information, the DOGE team was skeptical and attempted to enter the building on Monday. The institute refused entry and issued a statement from its acting president, George Moose, claiming, “DOGE has broken into our building.”

The Trump administration then announced the termination of all members of the institute’s bipartisan board except for three, including Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth. A statement dated Friday and posted on social media by DOGE indicated that the new board had voted to remove Moose, a veteran former ambassador.

DOGE claimed that Moose “denied lawful access” to the newly appointed president, who was subsequently escorted into the building by Washington police. “It’s not a happy day for anybody that somehow this misunderstanding of our intent and our purpose has reached a point where folks are going to come and try to shut us down,” Moose told reporters after his removal.

The newly appointed president is Kenneth Jackson, a former State Department official known for influencing cuts to the U.S. Agency for International Development. Under Rubio’s leadership, over 80 percent of U.S. development assistance was canceled, with Trump often mocking such aid as a misuse of taxpayer money.

Since returning to the White House, Trump and Musk have sought to dismantle entire government agencies, facing legal challenges as Congress allocates funds constitutionally. Undeterred, Trump also moved over the weekend to eliminate decades of U.S.-funded international broadcasting, including the Voice of America.