World
India
The United States Agency for International Development (USAID) has instructed its remaining staff to shred and burn documents in an unprecedented move amid the agency’s ongoing dismantling under the Trump administration.
An email sent by USAID’s acting executive director, Erica Carr, directed staff to convene at the agency’s former headquarters in the Ronald Reagan Building on Tuesday for an “all day” effort to destroy sensitive documents. The directive specifically called for the disposal of contents from “classified safes and personnel documents,” with shredding prioritized before using burn bags labeled “SECRET” and “USAID/B/IO/.”
The email did not specify a reason for the document purge, but it comes as USAID vacates its office space following widespread layoffs. The agency’s headquarters is set to be occupied by U.S. Customs and Border Protection, which recently leased 390,000 square feet in the building.
Mass destruction of agency documents
A former USAID staffer, speaking anonymously due to fear of reprisals, described the mass destruction of agency documents as unprecedented. “Everyone with a safe is supposed to keep it up to date and destroy documents when necessary, but I’ve never seen something like this en masse,” the staffer said.
The Trump administration, in collaboration with tech mogul Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), has aggressively reduced USAID’s workforce and budget. More than 80 percent of the agency’s programs have been canceled, according to Secretary of State Marco Rubio, with the remaining operations set to be administered by the State Department.
Last month, DOGE’s attempt to access USAID’s secure computer systems including employee security clearance records sparked outrage within the agency. Two security staff members were placed on administrative leave, though a DOGE spokesperson insisted no classified material was improperly accessed. The State Department has not responded to inquiries regarding the document destruction.
With USAID’s dismantling nearly complete, the move raises concerns over transparency and accountability regarding the agency’s past operations and sensitive records. The destruction of documents may impact legal challenges from staff contesting their layoffs and could hinder future oversight efforts into the agency’s role in U.S. foreign aid policy.
