DOJ investigates criminal charges against former USIP officials

The U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) is looking into possible criminal charges against former officials of the U.S. Institute of Peace (USIP). This comes after these officials tried to block leadership changes from the Trump administration. A senior DOJ official shared that they are investigating actions taken by USIP, including the removal and destruction of door locks, which may have created safety hazards. The DOJ is also examining an internal flyer campaign that urged USIP staff not to cooperate with incoming officials. Eleven board members were removed legally, and Kenneth Jackson was appointed as the acting president by the Trump administration. White House deputy press secretary Anna Kelly stated that "rogue bureaucrats" would not be allowed to disrupt the agency's operations. The investigation is early in its stages. USIP’s previous leadership tried to resist changes following an executive order aimed at reducing operations of federally funded organizations. Before the order, USIP had planned to deny access to outside officials and strengthen control over their security systems. Tensions escalated when Jackson and other officials attempted to take over on March 14 but were initially turned away. USIP leaders disabled their communication systems and barricaded themselves inside. Police were later called to assist in removing former officials from the building. The federal judge overseeing the case did not block the leadership change but criticized how the DOJ collaborated with law enforcement. It remains unclear who will face charges and when a decision will be made.