Overview

• U.S. District Judge Beryl Howell ruled that the Department of Government Efficiency's (DOGE) dismantling of the U.S. Institute of Peace (USIP) violated constitutional and statutory boundaries.
• The court reinstated USIP's board members and acting president, George Moose, while voiding the transfer of its headquarters and assets to the General Services Administration (GSA).
• Judge Howell criticized the Trump administration's use of force, including law enforcement, to seize control of USIP, calling it a 'gross usurpation of power.'
• The ruling reaffirmed Congress's exclusive authority over independent agencies and declared the administration's actions 'null and void.'
• The Trump administration has signaled its intent to appeal the decision, continuing a broader legal battle over executive power in federal restructuring.