US African Development Foundation blocks DOGE, Pete Marocco from office

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. Once DOGE reached the 10th floor, they told USADF staff members much of the same. Marocco and the DOGE team repeatedly rang the office’s doorbell, knocking on its glass windows and waiting by its elevators. But USADF’s staff sat huddled out of sight within its walls — worried that if they let DOGE enter the office, they would seize access to the agency’s systems, fire all the staff, and cancel USADF’s contracts and grants. The DOGE team left around 1 p.m., promising to come back with reinforcements, though two hours later, they still hadn’t returned. Earlier this week, that’s exactly what happened to the Inter-American Foundation, several sources told Devex — just days after U.S. President Donald Trump appointed Marocco, who is largely seen as the guiding force behind USAID’s rapid-paced dismantling, into leadership roles at both IAF and USADF. The Inter-American Foundation could not be reached for comment in time for publication, and the entity’s website has been taken down. “People are terrified,” said another official with knowledge of the situation. “And terrified that someone who really doesn’t know how these systems work could come and completely destroy the agency.” A whirlwind two weeks USADF is one of several that Trump attempted to dissolve through an executive order last month. On Feb. 19, the president declared that USADF, the Inter-American Foundation, and the U.S. Institute of Peace were “unnecessary,” directing all three to submit a report clarifying what was “statutorily required and to what extent” within 14 days. For decades, the agencies have operated on relatively small budgets, hovering between $40 million to $55 million a year, according to the organizations’ past financial reports. USADF provides funding to small- and medium-sized organizations, entrepreneurs, and businesses across Africa. The Inter-American Foundation awards small grants to civil society organizations in Latin America and the Caribbean. And the U.S. Institute of Peace, an independent nonprofit organization, is focused on resolving armed conflicts and bridging the military and development sectors in dozens of countries worldwide. “Such entities shall reduce the performance of their statutory functions and associated personnel to the minimum presence and function required by law,” the executive order stated. It was a directive USADF had been trying to comply with, according to internal agency documents obtained by Devex. USADF was preparing for reductions across its already small workforce, according to the memo. But before its 14 days were up, USADF was told two DOGE engineers would be detailed to work at the agency to improve “government efficiency.” The following day, those engineers — 22-year-old Ethan Shaotran and 28-year-old Nate Cavanaugh — and Jake Altik, a DOGE lawyer, “demanded immediate access to USADF systems,” including financial records, payment and human resource systems, personnel files, and other sensitive data, according to the memo. Those requests were denied by USADF, which stated any attempt to gain those files was “a direct violation” of privacy regulations. But soon after, Altik stated that blocking such access would result in notices of dismissal for all of USADF’s board members. Three days later, the only board member DOGE was able to contact, Ward Brehm, received a termination notice from the White House. And four days after that, the White House’s Trent Morse sent an email stating the president had no way of supervising the activities of a “board-less USADF.” “The president currently has no way of ensuring the agency is running, or complying with his executive order, unless he directs an [sic] temporary official using inherent authority under Article II [of the U.S. Constitution],” Morse wrote on Feb. 28. “On behalf of President Donald J. Trump, Peter Marocco has been temporarily appointed acting chairman and board member of the USADF.” Pushing back That didn’t go over well with the agency — and specifically, with Brehm, who also serves as the agency’s president and chief executive officer. “By law, no person may be seated on the Board until the President has made such a nomination and that nomination has been confirmed by the Senate,” wrote Brehm in a letter to Cavanaugh, the DOGE engineer, which was obtained by Devex on Wednesday. “I will look forward to working with Mr. Marocco after such time that he is nominated for a seat on the Board and his nomination is confirmed by the Senate,” he added. “Until these legal requirements are met, Mr. Marocco does not hold any position or office with USADF, and he may not speak or act on the Foundation’s behalf.” The letter set the tone for Wednesday’s failed access attempt. “I’m resigned to the fact that I’m going to lose my job,” said another official familiar with the matter. “What worries me about this, especially in this specific case, is what this means for our democracy. This is extremely scary, and this is a dangerous precedent.”