The Metropolitan Police Department responded Monday to a call about an incident at the United States Institute of Peace office in Washington, D.C., as the former CEO claimed members of the Department of Government Efficiency “broke” into the headquarters.
President Donald Trump signed an executive order last month calling to eliminate various government entities, including USIP, “to the maximum extent consistent with applicable law.” Last week, USIP said it denied DOGE members entry to the building. That same week, Trump gutted the board and had the remaining board vote to remove George Moose as president and CEO of the organization and install Kenneth Jackson as acting president.
Metropolitan Police claim to have been contacted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office at 4 p.m. Monday about an “incident” in which at least one person was “refusing to leave the property at the direction of the acting USIP President.” The police department said they met with Jackson and verified he was the acting president of USIP.
“The acting USIP President advised MPD members that there were unauthorized individuals inside of the building that were refusing to leave and refusing to provide him access to the facility. MPD members went to the USIP building and contacted an individual who allowed MPD members inside of the building. Once inside of the building, the acting USIP President requested that all the unauthorized individuals inside of the building leave,” the police department’s statement said.
“Eventually, all the unauthorized individuals inside of the building complied with the acting USIP President’s request and left the building without further incident, and no arrests were made,” the statement continued.
Moose claimed to reporters Monday evening that DOGE had “broken into our building” while maintaining that he was still in power at the organization.
DOGE said in a post on X that Moose had denied Jackson access to the building and that Metropolitan Police “escorted” Jackson into the building.
Mr. Moose denied lawful access to Kenneth Jackson, the Acting USIP President (as approved by the USIP Board). @DCPoliceDept arrived onsite and escorted Mr. Jackson into the building. The only unlawful individual was Mr. Moose, who refused to comply, and even tried to fire USIP’s… https://t.co/Fy8hJClx9E pic.twitter.com/yqq81qNKXM
— Department of Government Efficiency (@DOGE) March 18, 2025
“Mr. Moose denied lawful access to Kenneth Jackson, the Acting USIP President (as approved by the USIP Board). @DCPoliceDept arrived onsite and escorted Mr. Jackson into the building. The only unlawful individual was Mr. Moose, who refused to comply, and even tried to fire USIP’s private security team when said security team went to give access to Mr. Jackson,” DOGE’s post said.
US INSTITUTE OF PEACE SAYS DOGE ‘BROKE’ INTO ITS BUILDING
White House deputy press secretary Anna Kelly posted on X Monday evening that Moose was “not the acting president,” saying he had been removed from his position last week.
“[Moose] is actually a career bureaucrat who wants to be unaccountable to the American people. The Trump Administration won’t let him,” Kelly said.