Federal Appeals Court Supports Trump on USIP Action

On Friday, a federal appeals court overturned a previous order that prevented President Donald Trump from pursuing steps to dismantle the US Institute of Peace (USIP).

The US Court of Appeals for the DC Circuit determined that Trump could face “irreversible” damage if he wasn’t allowed to exercise his executive powers against the Institute’s board. The court found that the institute maintained “substantial enforcement,” suggesting that its board members were not shielded from presidential removal.

“As a general rule, the president can exclude executive officers,” stated the three-judge panel. They noted that only those agencies with semi-integrated or semi-judicial authority might receive special protections.

Established by Congress, the USIP aims to promote national interests through conflict prevention and peace initiatives globally.

In March, Trump expressed his desire to dissolve the agency, following the denial of five board members after a visit from the Government Efficiency team, which sought access to USIP’s computers and internal documents. The team found, during their audit, that despite USIP’s mission to foster peace, it had been labeled as “the least peaceful.” There were also troubling revelations, such as a $130,000 contract with former Taliban members for unspecified services and that USIP, receiving about $55 million annually from Congress, failed to return unspent funds. Instead, reports suggested leftover money was funneled into private accounts, used for private jets and events.

In an interview on “Jesse Watters Primetime,” members of the Musk and Government Efficiency team claimed USIP was notably resistant to oversight efforts.

Dismissed board members contested their removal, arguing it breached constitutional rules and required legislative oversight. Initially, US District Judge Beryl Howell sided with them, describing the takeover attempt as a display of “brute force.”

Following that ruling, USIP temporarily regained authority over its headquarters and began auditing its internal operations. The recent Appeals Court decision allows the Trump administration to continue restructuring or possibly eliminating certain agencies.