A standoff between federal officials and the leadership of the U.S. African Development Foundation (USADF) has escalated into a legal fight after the agency’s president refused to comply with the Trump administration’s government restructuring order.
On Friday, officials from the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) attempted to enter USADF headquarters as part of an effort to streamline operations. However, agency staff reportedly locked the doors under the orders of USADF President Ward Brehm, preventing access.
THE SWAMP IS DEEP AS BUREAUCRATS TRY TO FIGHT AGAINST TRUMP'S ORDERS. So, the U.S. African Development Foundation (USADF) employees and the organization's President worked with employees to lock the doors to DOGE. Now, I am not a lawyer, but any federal organization that thinks… pic.twitter.com/R3k94LxqxW
— CICNEWS4YOU (Conservative, Trump, Freedom) (@cicnews4you) March 9, 2025
DOGE officials returned the next day with U.S. Marshals after the Department of Justice confirmed their authority to enter the building. In response, Brehm filed a lawsuit, claiming his removal would be illegal and arguing that DOGE was exceeding its mandate.
The White House dismissed Brehm’s claims, stating that President Donald Trump’s executive order had reduced USADF’s footprint and placed Peter Marocco in charge of overseeing its restructuring. A White House spokesperson emphasized that federal agencies cannot block oversight or ignore executive directives.
A federal judge has issued a temporary restraining order halting Brehm’s removal as the case moves forward. Despite this legal setback, the administration remains committed to cutting waste and eliminating resistance from holdovers within federal agencies.
Trump has repeatedly warned against bureaucrats undermining his push to rein in Washington’s bloated government, vowing to enforce accountability across all federal offices.
