U.S. Peace Institute Defies Trump Administration Setting Up Conflict

Hand holding white flag against a blue sky.

The U.S. Institute of Peace became the site of conflict as its outgoing president barricaded officials and defied orders from the Trump administration, leading to police intervention and exposing deep divisions over government authority.

Top Takeaways

  • The Trump administration fired 11 of 15 board members at the U.S. Institute of Peace (USIP) and appointed Kenneth Jackson as new president, citing the organization as “unnecessary”
  • Outgoing USIP President George Moose refused to leave, ordered a lockdown of the building, and prevented Jackson’s team from entering
  • Metropolitan Police Department eventually escorted Moose out, allowing Jackson to enter a building that staff had reportedly prepared to resist leadership changes
  • USIP claims it’s a private nonprofit not subject to executive control, while the administration asserts authority over the congressionally funded organization
  • The confrontation highlights broader tensions between the Trump administration and federal institutions

Dramatic Standoff at Peace Institute Headquarters

A tense power struggle at the U.S. Institute of Peace culminated in a physical standoff when George Moose, the outgoing president, refused to vacate his position after being relieved of duties by the organization’s Board of Directors. When Kenneth Jackson arrived to assume his new role as president, he found the building locked down on Moose’s orders. Security systems were shut down and staff were reportedly instructed to resist the leadership change, creating a chaotic scene at an institution ironically dedicated to peaceful conflict resolution.

The dramatic confrontation required intervention from the Metropolitan Police Department, who eventually escorted Moose from the building and facilitated Jackson’s entry. Upon gaining access, Jackson discovered the building in disarray, with non-functioning systems and employees using walkie-talkies to communicate. The standoff represents an unprecedented level of resistance to leadership changes at a federally supported organization.

Trump Administration’s Overhaul of USIP

The conflict stems from President Trump’s broader efforts to reorganize federal institutions. The administration fired 11 of the 15 board members at USIP, leaving only Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, and National Defense University President Peter Garvin to dismiss Moose and appoint Jackson. The White House cited “noncompliance” with executive orders as justification for the board changes, part of a larger initiative that also targeted other organizations including the U.S. African Development Foundation.

The Heritage Foundation has criticized USIP for being opaque and favoring Democratic appointments, suggesting the organization had become politically slanted despite its nonpartisan mandate. When DOGE (Department of Government Efficiency) officials attempted to enter the building, staff members protested, claiming the organization falls outside executive branch jurisdiction.

Legal Battle Over USIP’s Status

At the core of the dispute is a fundamental disagreement over USIP’s organizational status. Moose and USIP leadership contend they are a private, nonprofit corporation not subject to executive branch control, despite receiving congressional funding. The institute was established by Congress in 1984 to study peaceful conflict resolutions and has been influential in international affairs, but its exact relationship to federal authority remains contested.

“We have been talking to them for many weeks now in anticipation of just this possibility and also to remind them that we are a private, nonprofit corporation in the District of Columbia and therefore not a federal agency, and therefore, the federal government has no entitlement to come in and take over our building,” Moose stated.

USIP has already indicated plans to file a lawsuit challenging the Trump administration’s appointment procedures, claiming it sidestepped proper protocols. White House officials firmly rejected this position, with a spokesperson stating: “Rogue bureaucrats will not be allowed to hold agencies hostage. The Trump administration will enforce the President’s executive authority and ensure his agencies remain accountable to the American people.”

Broader Implications for Government Institutions

The confrontation at USIP represents a significant test case for executive authority over congressionally established organizations. USIP’s rules technically allow the president to appoint and remove board members, but require consent from the board or Senate subcommittees—a procedure USIP leaders claim was not followed.

Other organizations affected by similar executive orders have already taken legal action with mixed outcomes. As USIP prepares its legal challenge, the case could establish important precedents regarding the limits of presidential authority over quasi-independent institutions. Meanwhile, USIP staff face uncertainty about the organization’s future direction under new leadership appointed by an administration openly questioning its necessity.

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