USIP Staff Fired in Government Downsizing Move \ Newslooks \ Washington DC \ Mary Sidiqi \ Evening Edition \ Most staff at the U.S. Institute of Peace were abruptly fired Friday night following a Trump administration order. The move, managed by Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), is part of a broader government downsizing effort. Legal challenges continue as employees clear out by April 7.
USIP Firings Under Trump Order Quick Looks:
- Majority of USIP staff received termination notices via personal emails
- DOGE, under Elon Musk, executing Trump’s downsizing directive
- Terminations followed a White House order to shut down four agencies
- Affected employees must vacate by April 7
- Lawsuit filed after DOGE forcibly entered USIP HQ
- Judge criticized DOGE actions but did not reinstate staff
- White House claims institute “failed to deliver peace”
- Foreign staff have until April 9 to return to U.S.
- USIP had roughly 300 employees prior to mass firing
- Some legal experts explore filing a separate employee lawsuit
Deep Look
The Trump administration’s controversial campaign to slash federal agencies took a dramatic and disruptive turn late Friday as hundreds of employees at the U.S. Institute of Peace (USIP) were abruptly terminated. The mass firings were orchestrated by the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE)—an agency newly helmed by tech billionaire Elon Musk—under the directive of a recent executive order from President Donald Trump.
The emails notifying staff of their termination began rolling out around 9 p.m. Friday, sent to their personal email accounts since most employees had already been locked out of the USIP’s internal system. For the roughly 300 employees who worked at the think tank dedicated to peacebuilding and conflict resolution, the late-night dismissal marked a jarring end to years—if not decades—of service in the public interest.
According to internal sources speaking anonymously for fear of reprisal, only a handful of staffers were spared, including members of the human resources team, a few regional vice presidents, and some overseas personnel, who now have until April 9 to return to the United States. All other employees were told their employment had officially ended and were given a deadline of April 7 to collect personal belongings and vacate the premises.
The decision follows a broader push by the Trump administration to eliminate what it calls “wasteful” and “ineffective” federal programs. In a statement released Saturday, White House spokesperson Anna Kelly defended the move, saying the institute “has failed to deliver peace” and that President Trump “is carrying out his mandate to eliminate bloat and save taxpayer dollars.”
USIP, however, has long played a significant role in American foreign policy circles, providing strategic conflict resolution research and direct engagement in global hotspots from Iraq and Afghanistan to Sudan and Ukraine. Founded in 1984 with bipartisan congressional support, the institute’s work was often considered a civilian complement to military strategy, aiming to prevent wars before they start and reduce reliance on military intervention.
“We are the other tool in the toolbox,” said Mary Glantz, a recently terminated USIP senior adviser and former Foreign Service officer. Glantz, who focused on Russian-backed conflict zones, said the termination didn’t surprise her. “This is part of DOGE’s playbook—move fast, shut it down, silence dissent.”
The scope and speed of the firings have drawn comparisons to Musk’s management style at Twitter, where thousands were dismissed abruptly via email and locked out of internal systems. Critics say this latest maneuver reflects a similar disregard for institutional memory and morale in the federal workforce.
The executive order that triggered the firings also dissolved USIP’s presidentially appointed and Senate-confirmed board and removed its president. That action led to a dramatic standoff earlier this month when DOGE officials attempted to enter USIP’s headquarters near the State Department. In a rare act of civil resistance, remaining employees and former board members physically blocked the agency’s staff from entering.
Eventually, DOGE gained access with assistance from Washington D.C. police, escalating tensions and prompting a lawsuit. U.S. District Judge Beryl Howell, presiding over the case, criticized DOGE’s aggressive actions but stopped short of reinstating staff or invalidating the executive order. As of now, the original lawsuit does not include terminated employees, though legal counsel is exploring options for a separate challenge.
One of those lawyers, George Foote, a former USIP legal counsel now working with firms representing displaced staff, said on Saturday that teams were “actively consulting on next steps.” Legal analysts suggest that the manner of the firings—combined with potential First Amendment and due process concerns—could form the basis of a new federal lawsuit.
Internally, the mood among former USIP staff is one of profound disappointment and outrage. Many spent their careers focused on diplomacy, post-conflict stabilization, and building trust in fragile states—work that, by design, doesn’t produce flashy headlines but has long been acknowledged as cost-effective and crucial to global stability.
Trump’s critics argue that the elimination of USIP is more ideological than practical—a move designed to gut institutions perceived as part of the so-called “deep state” or internationalist elite. They warn that the void left by USIP will further erode America’s non-military tools of influence, especially in a world facing escalating geopolitical instability.
The decision has also sparked concern abroad. USIP has established partnerships with international organizations and foreign governments in volatile regions, often serving as a neutral convener in deeply divided societies. Diplomats and NGOs worry that USIP’s sudden removal from the field will lead to a breakdown in delicate peace processes where trust and continuity are essential.
Even as DOGE claims the closure is about cutting costs and maximizing efficiency, experts argue the opposite. According to the Congressional Research Service, USIP’s annual budget—hovering around $45 million—is minuscule compared to the cost of deploying U.S. troops in even a single overseas conflict zone. The institute’s defenders argue that its work saves both lives and taxpayer money in the long term.
For now, the future of USIP remains uncertain. Some hope that legal challenges may lead to a reinstatement or legislative pushback in Congress. Others are exploring ways to repurpose or continue their peacebuilding work through academic institutions, think tanks, or international NGOs.
What is clear is that the closure of the U.S. Institute of Peace is not just the shuttering of a federal agency—it’s the symbolic culmination of a government realignment that favors hard power over diplomacy, speed over deliberation, and political loyalty over policy expertise.
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