In a significant move, the Trump administration has placed two prominent security officials at the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) on administrative leave. This action comes after they resisted pressure to provide classified documents in secured areas to inspection teams linked to Elon Musk’s newly formed entity, the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE). According to sources familiar with the matter, Musk’s teams eventually acquired access to the sensitive materials, including intelligence reports.
The security officials, John Vorhees and his deputy, Brian McGill, believed they had a legal obligation to deny access to the classified information due to the lack of appropriate security clearance among Musk’s team. Former and current officials spoke about the incident under anonymity, emphasizing their lack of authorization to disclose details from the situation.
In response to the situation, Musk took to social media stating, “USAID is a criminal organization. Time for it to die,” before posting several comments about the agency. Kate Miller, a member of DOGE’s advisory board, contested the claims, asserting that no classified information was accessed without the necessary security clearances in place.
The White House has yet to respond to inquiries regarding this incident. The events follow a previous operation led by DOGE at the Treasury Department, where they also accessed sensitive data related to Social Security and Medicare payment systems. This led to the resignation of a senior Treasury official due to concerns over Musk’s team accessing such confidential information.
DOGE was established in conjunction with the Trump administration, apparently aiming to identify methods to reduce the federal workforce and diminish government programs and regulations. Recently, USAID’s website went offline for unknown reasons, highlighting the agency’s vulnerability amidst the administration’s intensified scrutiny.
Under Trump’s leadership and Secretary of State Marco Rubio, an unprecedented halt to foreign aid has been enforced, drastically affecting USAID’s humanitarian, development, and security initiatives across the globe. This situation has resulted in significant layoffs within various aid organizations and has diminished the agency’s staff and leadership roles in Washington.
As the world’s largest contributor to humanitarian aid, the U.S. allocates billions through USAID, serving over 100 nations. Political appointee Peter Marocco has been at the forefront of implementing this shutdown. Moreover, employees within USAID suspect that visitors with badges inquiring about operations at headquarters may be associated with Musk’s DOGE team.
In reaction to these developments, Democratic Senator Elizabeth Warren expressed her concerns regarding Musk’s access to personal information and the implications of disrupting government funding. She strongly urged for collective action to safeguard individuals from potential harm, although she did not elaborate on her specifics.
