Filing Highlights Efforts to Seize Control of the Agency, Halt its Work, and Terminate its Workforce Without Any Legal Authority

Washington, DC — Democracy Forward today filed litigation on behalf of Rural Development Innovations Limited (RDI) and two longtime U.S. African Development Foundation (USADF) employees to stop the Trump-Vance administration from unlawfully dismantling the USADF, a congressionally established agency that funds grassroots development projects across Africa. 

On February 28, 2025, President Trump appointed Pete Marocco to a position that doesn’t exist under the law: “Acting” Chair of USADF. The challenge reveals that after that, Marocco held a one-man board meeting and tried to appoint himself President of the agency. From there, he claimed sweeping powers to lay off most USADF employees, cancel nearly all of its grants and contracts, and cut off communication with grantees—effectively shutting down the agency.

“Congress clearly laid out how USADF must be governed, and that structure doesn’t allow one person to hijack the agency and destroy its mission,” said Skye Perryman, President and CEO of Democracy Forward. “This behavior not only breaks the law, but defies the Constitution, ignores Congress, and tries to erase a federal agency in broad daylight. We’re going to court to stop this unlawful power grab and protect the communities and careers it harms.”

The lawsuit and immediate relief motion ask the court to block Marocco’s unlawful appointments, restore legal control over the agency, and stop the Trump-Vance administration from recognizing actions taken under Marocco’s illegitimate authority. Without court intervention, RDI will likely be forced to shut down by the end of June.

The case is Rural Development Innovations Ltd. v. Marocco, et al., and the legal team at Democracy Forward on this case includes Bradley Girard, Joel McElvain, and Robin F. Thurston.

The complaint can be found here.

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Democracy Forward is a national legal organization that advances democracy and social progress through litigation, policy, public education, and regulatory engagement. For more information, please visit www.democracyforward.org.