Trump administration downsizes majority of US Institute of Peace employees
(MENAFN) The administration of US President Donald Trump has dismissed the majority of staff at the US Institute of Peace (USIP), a move aimed at reducing government size under the leadership of Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE). This decision, which has drawn significant attention, was reported by multiple outlets and later confirmed by the White House.
USIP, established by Congress in the mid-1980s to promote conflict resolution globally, had already faced cuts under Trump, including the dismissal of most of its board members in March. On Friday night, approximately 200 to 300 employees at the USIP’s headquarters in Washington were informed of their termination. Those affected referred to the mass firings as the "Friday night massacre."
Employees who were let go were offered severance pay and an additional month of health insurance, with the condition of waiving their rights to pursue legal action. Those who declined this offer were told they would lose their benefits starting Monday. The firings, however, do not impact the 600 employees working overseas for the organization.
Earlier this month, USIP’s board filed a lawsuit against DOGE, Trump, and other officials, arguing that the executive branch has no authority to terminate employees of an institution created by Congress. Legal hearings for the case are set for late April.
In response to the firings, White House spokeswoman Anna Kelly stated that taxpayers were not willing to fund the $50 million-per-year institute, which she said had failed to deliver on its mission. She emphasized that Trump’s focus was on eliminating government inefficiency and saving taxpayer money while claiming that his administration had already established peace and ended "forever wars."
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