In Wednesday’s episode, workers instructed a security guard at USADF’s headquarters to deny the Doge team access when they arrived accompanied by Peter Marocco, the acting director of the now-shuttered US Agency for International Development. Trump is trying to install him in a similar role at USADF.
Staff cited a letter sent by the agency’s chair, Ward Brehm, who was not present at the time, to Doge the previous day making clear that it would not be allowed to enter in his absence.
Brehm also declined to cooperate with Marocco unless he was officially appointed to the agency’s board.
“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,” Brehm wrote.
“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.”
About 30 workers were in the building when Marocco arrived with a Doge team – described as young men wearing backpacks – intent on carrying out firings based on an executive order issued by Trump on 19 February, the Washington Post reported.
A USADF official told the Washington Post the terms of its governing statute meant that it did not have to take orders from Marocco.
“It’s explicit in the statute that the agency can only be dissolved by an act of Congress and the president can only be hired and fired by the board,” the official said.
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