Judge Denies Relief from DOGE for U.S. Institute of Peace

Federal District Court Judge Beryl Howell denied an emergency request for reinstatement by DOGE-terminated officials of the U.S. Institute of Peace.

Howell asked questions about DOGE’s use of armed officers from the FBI and D.C. Metropolitan Police Department to force their way in.

Howell verbally thrashed Donald Trump’s regime for its “abominable” methods to “strong-arm” the Institute out of its headquarters, which it owns as an independent non-profit that is not a government agency even though it was created by and is funded by Congress.

“I’m very offended by how DOGE has operated at the Institute and treated American citizens trying to do a job that they were statutorily tasked to do at the Institute. But that concern … Is not one that I have that can sway me in my consideration of the factors for a TRO [temporary restraining order].”

“I mean, this conduct of using law enforcement, threatening criminal investigation, using armed law enforcement from three different agencies … to carry out the executive order… with all that targeting probably terrorizing employees and staff at the institute when there are so many other lawful ways to accomplish the goals [of the executive order]… Why? Why those ways here — just because DOGE is in a rush?”

“I will put it this way, to strong-arm a private contractor, to threaten this security chief — threaten people with criminal investigation given the, you know, clear statute … Doesn’t that strike you as a little offensive?”

In refusing to issue a TRO, Howell worried that if she enjoined DOGE from its invasion of USIP premises, DOGE’s use of armed agents to take the facility suggested it might refuse and trigger an “armed battle” over USIP.

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