Tensions flared in Washington after the leadership of a federal agency attempted to block oversight from the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), triggering a legal response from the White House.
On Friday, DOGE officials sought access to the U.S. African Development Foundation (USADF) headquarters as part of a broader federal effort to reduce wasteful spending. Staff members, under the direction of agency head Ward Brehm, locked the doors and refused to grant them entry.
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
When DOGE officials returned with U.S. Marshals, the Department of Justice confirmed their authority to enter. However, Brehm responded by filing a lawsuit, arguing that he was being unlawfully removed from his position and requesting legal intervention to remain in office.
The White House defended its authority to enforce federal restructuring, emphasizing that President Donald Trump’s executive order had already scaled back USADF’s operations. The administration appointed Peter Marocco as acting Chairman of the Board to oversee the transition.
A federal judge issued a temporary pause on Brehm’s removal, but the administration remains firm in its position that agency leaders cannot ignore presidential directives.
Trump has praised DOGE’s efforts to streamline the federal government, stating that holdovers from past administrations will not be allowed to obstruct reform. The case is expected to set an important precedent for how executive power is enforced in federal agencies.
