USAID Orders Staff to Destroy All Documents

A USAID official has directed remaining staff to shred and burn all documents raising legal and ethical alarms. The order comes as the Trump administration targets the agency for shutdown under Elon Musk’s efficiency drive. Politico reported the directive aims to erase records before the agency’s closure.

Staff were reportedly told to empty safes holding classified and personnel files for destruction. The instruction to shred first and burn later suggests an urgent push to eliminate evidence. Legal experts say this could violate federal laws on record preservation.

Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency has slashed USAID’s workforce and budget since January. The agency once led global humanitarian aid but now faces total dissolution. Trump and Musk view it as a symbol of wasteful spending needing eradication.

The shred-and-burn order follows mass firings leaving only a skeleton crew in Washington. Employees received the directive amid chaos as offices close permanently. Critics call it a reckless attempt to hide years of aid program details.

Federal law requires agencies to archive records for transparency and accountability. Destroying classified files without approval risks national security breaches. Congressional leaders have demanded an investigation into the unprecedented move.

USAID’s closure aligns with Trump’s pledge to cut foreign aid and focus on domestic priorities. Musk has labeled the agency a relic of misguided globalism. Supporters argue its end saves billions better spent at home.

Staffers reportedly expressed shock at the order fearing legal repercussions for complying. Some speculate it aims to erase evidence of past spending Musk criticized. The White House has not commented on the directive’s legality.

Trump’s team frames the destruction as a security measure during the shutdown process. Opponents see it as an authoritarian purge of institutional memory. The fallout could spark lawsuits and further scrutiny of Musk’s influence.