Following instructions from USADF Chair Ward Brehm, security personnel denied entry to newly appointed chief nominee, Mr. Marocco, and his DOGE team. Brehm’s letter explicitly prohibited meetings without his presence, citing Marocco’s lack of Senate confirmation. Marocco subsequently gained access to the empty building with the assistance of U.S. Marshals. This action circumvented established protocol and Brehm’s direct orders.
A tense standoff occurred at the US African Development Foundation (USADF) headquarters when a team from Elon Musk’s “Doge” unit, accompanied by a Trump appointee, attempted to enter and carry out firings. USADF staff, citing a letter from their chair, refused entry, asserting that the firings violated the agency’s governing statute and required Congressional approval. This incident, following similar resistance at another agency, highlights ongoing legal challenges against Trump administration efforts to dismantle federal agencies. The USADF, established to support African communities, has distributed over $141 million in grants since 2019.
John Q. Hosedrinker