The U.S. African Development Foundation — one of the smallest agencies in the federal government — is pushing back against the Trump administration, with their tiny team of development staff blocking those at the Department of Government Efficiency, or DOGE, from accessing USADF’s office on Wednesday afternoon.
“They told the front desk: You either let us in or we’re going to bring the Secret Service and federal marshals,” an official with knowledge of the situation told Devex.
Around noon, about five DOGE staffers and Peter Marocco, the director of the State Department’s Office of Foreign Assistance and acting deputy administrator of the U.S Agency for International Development, attempted to gain access to USADF offices, according to a video seen by Devex. The group told the building’s front desk that they would be threatened “with a lawsuit” if they were not allowed up, according to an official familiar with the matter.
About the author
Elissa Miolene
Elissa Miolene reports on USAID and the U.S. government at Devex. She previously covered education at The San Jose Mercury News, and has written for outlets like The Wall Street Journal, San Francisco Chronicle, Washingtonian magazine, among others. Before shifting to journalism, Elissa led communications for humanitarian agencies in the United States, East Africa, and South Asia.
