Peace Institute Trashed in Elon Musk-Backed Raid
Elon Musk, 2019. Photo by NORAD and USNORTHCOM Public Affairs. Public domain.
When staffers returned to their offices at the United States Institute of Peace (USIP) after an unauthorized two-month takeover, they found what could only be described as a nightmare. This wasn't the result of civil unrest or a natural disaster. It was the aftermath of DOGE — the Department of Government Efficiency — a cost-cutting initiative started by Donald Trump and helmed by billionaire Elon Musk. And what began as a bureaucratic power play spiraled into something that, in the words of one USIP official reported by The Independent, looked like "a zombie apocalypse movie."
A Controversial Takeover
The story starts in February 2025, when Trump signed an executive order aiming to shrink the federal government. One of DOGE's targets was the USIP, a 40-year-old independent agency dedicated to promoting peace and preventing global conflicts. The institute operates outside the executive branch and has active programs in over 24 conflict zones.
Despite its independent status, DOGE declared the organization "unnecessary," fired its staff by email, and tried to seize the $500 million building near the National Mall, according to The Independent.
After a tense standoff, FBI agents and D.C. police physically removed the institute's leadership from the premises.
Musk's handpicked appointee, 28-year-old Nate Cavanaugh, was then installed to run the organization despite his lack of relevant experience.
A Federal Judge Weighs In
On May 19, 2025, U.S. District Judge Beryl Howell declared DOGE's actions unlawful. Her ruling stated that the White House did not have the authority to seize control of USIP or fire its employees. Every move made during the takeover, including transferring assets and wiping the agency's research archives, was "null and void," according to the Associated Press.
But null and void doesn't mean damage-free. According to the Associated Press, the judge herself likened the ordeal to "a bull in a China shop," saying the destruction may not be fully reversible.
Drug Allegations and Office Damage
Once DOGE staff vacated the building following a federal court ruling, the mess they left behind became a story of its own.
Photos showed cannabis in the trash. Sworn statements described evidence of vermin, rotting food, water damage, missing ceiling tiles, and even stolen signage.
USIP's head of security, Colin O'Brien, told The Independent, "They ripped the main logo off the wall when you come into the lobby, and while we have most of the parts back, would you be surprised that we're still missing four letters: U, S, I, and P? That's not coincidental."
Fallout and Rebuilding
With Musk's 130-day term as a "special government employee" ending just days after the ruling, DOGE essentially faded from the spotlight, according to The Independent. But the consequences remain.
Today, only a fraction of USIP's original staff have returned to work. Systems are still down. Funds have yet to be recovered. And programs across Africa, the Middle East, and South Asia remain stalled.
Some international partners, like those in Burkina Faso and Mali, were left without support overnight. "I couldn't just stop but think, what if I could have continued our work there during this time?" said Nicoletta Barbera, who led peacebuilding efforts in West Africa, according to the Associated Press.
Musk's Legacy
Elon Musk has not commented directly on the state of the USIP headquarters. Allegations about his personal drug use — including ketamine, mushrooms, and ecstasy — surfaced around the same time as the DOGE scandal, adding another layer of scrutiny to the operation he once led.
Whatever DOGE's original goals may have been, its actions left the Institute of Peace in chaos. For now, staff are simply trying to get back to where they were, before the locked doors, the shredded files, and the rats.
References: Musk's DOGE Goons Trashed Office and Left Drugs Behind | Marijuana, roaches, graffiti & chaos: Inside Elon Musk's DOGE takeover of USIP amid new claims about his drug use | Elon Musk's 'Intense' Drug Use Detailed in Bombshell New Report: Ecstasy, Mushrooms and Ketamine That Led to Bladder Issues | DOGE took over the US Institute of Peace. Now, the inside looks like a zombie movie, security chief reveals | Elon Musk is gone, but DOGE's actions are hard to reverse. The US Institute of Peace is a case study
