In Washington, a significant reduction in staff has taken place at the U.S. Institute of Peace, a think tank established by Congress and now under the jurisdiction of Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency. Most employees were informed of their dismissals through emails sent to their personal accounts after losing access to the organization’s internal system. The notifications began to disperse around 9 p.m. on a Friday, according to sources who disclosed this anonymously due to fear of retaliation.
A former senior official revealed that those spared from immediate termination included several individuals within the human resources department and some overseas staff who have until April 9 to return to the United States. The institute, which employs approximately 300 individuals, also saw a small number of regional vice presidents retained temporarily to manage the transition of their regional staff back to the U.S., according to an impacted employee.
Last month, President Donald Trump issued an executive order aiming to shut down the institute, which focuses on preventing and resolving international conflicts, along with three other federal agencies. As a consequence, board members nominated by the president and confirmed by the Senate, as well as the institute’s president, were dismissed. This led to a confrontation when employees tried to prevent personnel from the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) from entering the institute’s headquarters near the State Department. Access was eventually granted to DOGE staff with assistance from Washington police.
The events spurred legal action, during which U.S. District Judge Beryl Howell criticized DOGE representatives for their conduct but did not overturn the decisions to dismiss board members or reallow displaced employees back into the workspace. A spokeswoman for the White House, Anna Kelly, defended the move by stating the institute had been ineffective in its mission to deliver peace and emphasized President Trump’s commitment to reducing government excess and conserving taxpayer dollars.
Employees were notified in a letter that their employment would end as of that Friday, corroborated by a veteran staff member who shared portions of the communication. An additional email, obtained by a news agency, confirmed that the terminations were conducted under presidential directives. Workers were given a deadline of April 7 to vacate their workstations and belongings.
Mary Glantz, a senior adviser and former foreign service officer at the U.S. Institute of Peace, wasn’t surprised by the late-night mass firings, suggesting it aligns with DOGE’s strategies. Glantz had been investigating methods of conflict instigation and resolution, particularly in relation to Russia’s global interactions, and hoped her findings could have a wider application. She stressed USIP’s critical role in peacefully resolving disputes to prevent the deployment of American troops.
George Foote, a previously employed institute lawyer now working with one of the legal teams on the ongoing case, mentioned that discussions were underway regarding potential future legal actions. As employees were not included in the current lawsuit, they would need to initiate a separate legal claim if they choose to pursue action.