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A significant number of employees at the U.S. Institute of Peace, a think tank established and funded by Congress but recently taken over by Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency, received email notifications informing them of their mass termination, marking the latest step in the Trump administration’s efforts to downsize the government.
The emails were sent to personal accounts around 9 p.m. on Friday, as most staff members had lost access to the organization’s system, according to individuals familiar with the situation who requested anonymity due to fears of retaliation.
According to a former senior official at the institute, those spared from the layoffs included several employees in the human resources department and a handful of overseas staff members who have until April 9 to return to the United States. The organization employs approximately 300 people.
🚨🇺🇸U.S. INSTITUTE OF PEACE GUTTED AFTER SHOWDOWN WITH DOGE
The U.S. Institute of Peace has issued mass termination letters to staff after losing a dramatic power struggle with Trump’s DOGE.
Once funded by Congress to promote global conflict resolution, USIP is now being… https://t.co/GgAXZcHSZP pic.twitter.com/a6dIbX4hUA
— Mario Nawfal (@MarioNawfal) March 29, 2025
Currently, regional vice presidents have been retained to work with staff in their respective areas to facilitate their return to the U.S., as per an affected employee.
Last month, President Donald Trump issued an executive order targeting the institute, which aims to prevent and resolve conflicts, along with three other agencies for closure. The board members, who are nominated by the president and confirmed by the Senate, as well as the institute’s president, were fired.
Subsequently, a standoff occurred when employees blocked DOGE members from entering the institute’s headquarters near the State Department. DOGE staff eventually gained access with the assistance of the Washington police.
A lawsuit followed, and U.S. District Judge Beryl Howell reprimanded DOGE representatives for their behavior but did not reinstate the board members or allow employees to return to the workspace.
Anna Kelly, a White House spokeswoman, stated in an email on Saturday that the institute “has failed to deliver peace” and that Trump “is carrying out his mandate to eliminate bloat and save taxpayer dollars.”
U.S. Institute of Peace employees started receiving termination letters effective immediately on Friday evening.
It’s likely to have impacted the majority of its Washington-based workforce.
W/ @giselleruhiyyih + @PhelimKine https://t.co/0AKfQa110N
— Ben Johansen (@BenJohansen3) March 29, 2025
The letter to employees stated that as of Friday, “your employment with us will conclude,” according to a longtime employee who shared part of the communication. A second email obtained by the AP confirmed that the terminations were at the direction of the president.
Employees were given until April 7 to clear out their desks.
Mary Glantz, a former foreign service officer who worked as a senior adviser at USIP, said she was not surprised by the late-night firings, describing it as part of DOGE’s playbook.
Glantz studied how Russia has fomented conflicts around the world and analyzed options for resolving them. She hoped her research could be continued and utilized elsewhere. She said USIP plays a unique role because of its narrow focus on conflict resolution, stating, “We are the other tool in the tool box. We do this work so American soldiers don’t have to fight these wars.”
George Foote, a former institute lawyer fired this month who is with one of the firms providing counsel in the current lawsuit, said lawyers were consulting Saturday to discuss possible next steps. He said employees are not part of the pending lawsuit, so they would have to file a separate case.
