Two senior USAID officials placed on leave after refusal to grant DOGE access
(MENAFN) Two high-ranking security officials at the US Agency for International Development (USAID) have been placed on administrative leave after they refused to grant personnel from the Department of government Efficiency (DOGE) access to sensitive security systems and classified files, according to CNN. The DOGE, a newly formed office under Elon Musk, had requested access to USAID headquarters in Washington, DC, on Saturday night but was blocked by USAID security. Some DOGE personnel reportedly threatened to involve US Marshals to gain entry.
Among those placed on leave are USAID Director of Security John Voorhees and his deputy, along with several other officials. The incident has drawn strong reactions, with Musk accusing USAID of being a "criminal organization" and calling for its end, labeling it as "evil" and full of "radical-left marxists" who hate America.
Katie Miller, a former official from the Trump administration now working with DOGE, defended the actions, stating on social media that no classified material had been accessed without the proper security clearances. Meanwhile, USAID’s website went offline, and its official social media accounts were also taken down following the incident.
This comes after an executive order issued by Trump in January, which halted all foreign aid for 90 days, with exceptions for "life-saving humanitarian assistance" approved by Secretary of State Marco Rubio on January 30.
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