The U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) has issued a directive to its staff to clear out classified safes and destroy sensitive documents as part of an ongoing restructuring effort, according to internal communications reviewed by this outlet. The instructions, which include shredding or burning records, have raised concerns among some employees and watchdog groups about transparency and compliance with federal record-keeping laws.
The directive, reportedly sent by a senior USAID official, instructed employees at the agency’s headquarters in the Ronald Reagan Building to begin the process at 9:30 a.m. on Tuesday, March 11. “Shred as many documents first, and reserve the burn bags for when the shredder becomes unavailable or needs a break,” the email is said to have stated. Staff were further directed to label burn bags with “SECRET” and “USAID/(B/IO)” using a dark marker, ensuring proper sealing for incineration.
The move comes amid significant changes at USAID, which has faced scrutiny and downsizing efforts under the current administration. Sources familiar with the situation suggest the document purge may be linked to plans to relocate or reassign office space within the Ronald Reagan Building, potentially to accommodate other federal agencies like U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP). However, the lack of clear justification in the directive has fueled speculation and concern.
Legal experts have noted that if any destroyed documents are relevant to ongoing litigation or congressional inquiries, their disposal could potentially violate federal regulations.
Meanwhile, USAID staff were also reportedly instructed to retrieve personal belongings from the agency’s annex offices between March 12 and 14, with strict 15-minute time slots allocated for each employee. A separate email emphasized adherence to “proper records management practices” during this process, seemingly contradicting the earlier directive to destroy documents en masse.
As the situation unfolds, observers are calling for greater transparency from USAID and the administration regarding the scope and intent of the document destruction.
The controversy surrounding USAID’s handling of classified records adds another layer of complexity to the agency’s evolving role in U.S. foreign policy. Whether this directive marks a procedural misstep or something more significant remains to be seen, but it has already ignited a heated debate about accountability in government operations.
