Federal Workers Block Trump-Ordered Shutdown of African Development Agency
Staff at the US African Development Foundation prevented Musk's DOGE unit from executing layoffs, citing legal protections and Congressional authority.
- Elon Musk's Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) team was denied entry to the US African Development Foundation (USADF) headquarters in Washington, D.C., on Wednesday.
- The attempted entry was part of President Trump's executive order to eliminate several independent agencies deemed 'unnecessary,' including USADF.
- USADF President Ward Brehm instructed staff not to allow DOGE operatives access without his presence, stating that Trump lacked the authority to unilaterally dismantle the agency.
- USADF, established in 1980, provides grants to small businesses and grassroots organizations in Africa, impacting over 6 million people between 2019 and 2023.
- Democratic lawmakers and legal experts argue that Trump's order exceeds constitutional limits, as Congress alone can dissolve the agency.