A federal judge has temporarily blocked the Trump administration’s attempt to oust the head of the U.S. African Development Foundation (USADF), a small federal agency. This decision comes after the USADF president, Ward Brehm, filed a lawsuit against Elon Musk‘s Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) to prevent the agency’s shutdown.
Judge Richard Leon, appointed by George W. Bush, issued a stay until March 11, citing significant statutory and constitutional issues. The order also prevents the Trump administration from installing a State Department official as the new head of USADF.
The lawsuit was filed as USADF employees prevented DOGE staffers from entering the agency’s headquarters. President Donald Trump had recently called for USADF’s elimination in an executive order. Brehm, represented by Democracy Forward, claims that Musk and the Trump administration’s actions violate the Constitution and federal law.
DOGE initially gained access to USADF under the guise of updating computer systems but was later denied access when its true intentions to shut down the agency were discovered. The lawsuit alleges that DOGE employees threatened USADF board members, telling them they would be fired unless they cooperated with DOGE’s plans.
The USADF was established by Congress in 1980 to support African-led initiatives addressing economic and social issues. The law requires that the agency can only be dissolved by an Act of Congress. The board of directors, composed of seven members nominated by the president and confirmed by the Senate, appoints the president.
The Trump administration has attempted to install Pete Marocco, tasked with dismantling U.S. foreign aid, as a board member without Senate approval. This move is seen as part of a broader effort to cut U.S. humanitarian progra