As more senior staff members are shut out of internal systems, sources tell ABC News that Department of Government Efficiency employees have moved to take over offices amid increasing unrest inside the US Agency for International Development.
As the Elon Musk-led organization attempts to take command of USAID, which manages international aid, more staff members are put on administrative leave, and the recently hired chief of staff resigns.
A number of people posing as State Department officials and DOGE representatives showed up at the USAID offices in the Ronald Reagan Building on Friday night and requested quick access to all offices, causing a chaotic scenario, according to those familiar with the situation. It’s unclear if DOGE officials have the legal right to demand such things.
According to one observer, they appeared to be people who dressed up for their first job interview.
Sources claim that after being turned away, the gang told security personnel they would call the US Marshals Service if they were prohibited admittance. Eventually, the source said, the guards obeyed.
Amid continued upheaval at USAID, ABC News reports that two senior security personnel were placed on administrative leave on Saturday for their refusal to comply.
ABC News reports that during fights with DOGE members trying to take over the agency, many USAID personnel were locked out of internal systems and more were sent on administrative leave.
According to insiders, USAID Chief of Staff Matt Hopson quit during the turmoil, only a few days after Trump appointed him to the role. It was unclear if agency changes were the reason for Hopson’s resignation.
A person with knowledge of the situation claims that Musk has been participating in USIAD staff calls this week as part of the agency’s reorganization. Additionally, Musk launched a flurry of assaults on USAID through his social media platform X when rumors of conflicts within the organization emerged.
A criminal organization is USAID. In one post, Musk stated that it was time for it to die.
A senior USAID official told ABC News that after seeing Musk’s X postings directed at the organization, The personnel at USAID is completely disturbed by the mafia-like takeover’s rapid speed.
We don’t commit crimes. Republican Senators Graham and Risch, who have backed the agency’s good work in the past, are nowhere to be found. Are they going to speak up? The official asked. Like many organizations, USAID has to be reformed, but we would anticipate that Congress would give this some consideration and get involved.
According to ABC News sources, USAID-related posters and flags were taken down and piled in the hallways of the Ronald Reagan Building. Sources claim that several USAID staff members who were put on administrative leave had their work computers and ID badges seized.
DOGE spokesperson Katie Miller responded on X to reports regarding DOGE’s operations at USAID by saying that no confidential material was accessed without the required security clearances. The USAID press office did not comment when contacted.
According to people acquainted with the matter, the gang was able to access USAID’s internal systems on Friday, including the website of the organization and a number of vital databases.
Among the systems were the Development Information Solution (DIS), which collects performance-related and congressionally mandated data for all USAID projects worldwide, and the Development Evaluation Clearinghouse, which contains reports on past and current USAID initiatives.
The Phoenix software system, which tracks and manages USAID’s financial transactions, accounting, and budgeting, was also taken over by the group, according to sources.
The system fell down over the weekend, according to insiders, which shocked USAID contractors who are worried about not getting paid for their labor.
Major companies that oversee international supply chains, such as those for programs like antiretroviral (ARV) medications and other crucial medications to fight HIV/AIDS, rely on Phoenix.
ABC News reports that Peter Marocco, a campaign ally in the Office of Foreign Assistance who was purportedly seen on camera inside the Capitol on January 6, 2021, is in charge of overseeing the Trump administration’s cuts to foreign aid.
Mark Kevin Lloyd, a Trump supporter, was appointed acting assistant administrator for USAID’s Bureau of Conflict Prevention and Stabilization (CPS), which is in charge of a substantial budget, ABC News reported. Before joining USAID as the religious freedom adviser in 2020, Lloyd, a Tea Party activist, was Trump’s field director for Virginia in 2016.
Those who are familiar with USAID are wondering if the agency’s restructuring marks the end of US overseas development initiatives or a deliberate pooling of resources under the State Department, given the instability within the organization.
According to some, the government could quickly reroute aid programs well beyond the State Department’s capabilities by utilizing USAID’s current infrastructure, including its contracting officers, worldwide reach, and established contract mechanisms.
According to an email acquired by ABC News, the chief information officer of USAID issued an internal email after the agency’s website went down on Saturday, indicating that the site is now inaccessible and that they do not yet know when it would be restored.
Users are notified by M/CIO that USAID.gov is not accessible at this time. As soon as we receive additional details, we will send a follow-up notice. According to the email issued on Saturday night, there is currently no news on when the site will be accessible.
An ABC News source claims that these notifications usually contain details of the team’s attempts to regain access, but this notice omitted that information.
When there is no information on when the site will be restored, some staff assume that the decision to turn off the internet has been taken.
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