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A US federal judge, Beryl Howell on Wednesday allowed for now the takeover of the US Institute of Peace, USIP, by tech billionaire, Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency, DOGE, after the institute accused Musk’s team of occupying the building by force.

The verdict came after DOGE staffers on Monday gained access with the help of police officers to USIP, an independent nonprofit organization funded by the US Congress.

It was gathered that the move by Musk’s team is the latest and potentially most aggressive example of DOGE taking over a building as part of the Trump administration’s push to slash the size of government by reducing the 2.3-million strong federal workforce and lowering costs.


District Judge Howell frowned at the way Musk’s team had entered the building, saying she was not going to order a temporary halt to DOGE’s actions.

USIP had reportedly asked the judge to stop DOGE from completing the unlawful dismantling of the Institute.

According to Howell, USIP’s lawsuit was messy since it was filed on behalf of only five board members and not the entire USIP board, and the ousted president was not a plaintiff.

She further said she was disturbed by the way DOGE had entered USIP with armed police, which she described as terrorizing.

“I have to say I am offended on behalf of the American citizens. USIP staff had been treated abominably,” she said.

Howell noted that she would have another hearing on the lawsuit but did not say when.

Following a standoff on Monday in which a msny USIP staff initially locked all the doors to the building, DOGE employees, with the help of local police, reportedly expelled the institute’s president, several staffers and an attorney from the building.

In an affidavit, USIP’s chief security officer said that he had called for police help after DOGE staffers tried to enter the building.

According to a White House spokesperson in a statement before the ruling, President Donald Trump was enforcing his authority as president, stating that rogue bureaucrats will not be allowed to hold agencies hostage.

https://dailypost.ng/2025/03/20/judge-declines-to-bar-doge-from-us-institute-of-peace/