Shutting Down USADF Would Harm Critical Work that Boosts Economic Development and Reduces Global Conflict

Washington, DC — Ward Brehm, President of the United States African Development Foundation (USADF), filed a motion for summary judgment and a preliminary injunction to halt efforts by Elon Musk’s so-called “Department of Government Efficiency” (DOGE) to dismantle the agency and unlawfully remove Brehm from his position. 

The motion, filed in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia, follows DOGE’s ongoing attempt to shut down USADF by unlawfully appointing a single individual, Pete Marocco, to serve as the Foundation’s sole board member and CEO—despite having no authority to do so under law. The filing makes clear that only the USADF Board, a bipartisan body appointed with Senate consent, has the legal authority to appoint or remove the agency’s president. This filing follows a lawsuit filed by Democracy Forward, representing Brehm earlier this month.

The request for emergency relief details DOGE’s unlawful actions, including threats to staff, illegal entry into USADF’s offices, and attempts to seize control of the agency’s systems. It highlights the constitutional violations at stake, including breaches of the Appointments Clause and the Federal Vacancies Reform Act. 

“The United States African Development Foundation has worked for decades with communities to build local economies, reduce poverty, and promote peace. If DOGE is allowed to bulldoze through the rule of law to shut USADF down, we will lose not just an agency but a resource for security, stability, and progress,” said Skye Perryman, President and CEO of Democracy Forward. “DOGE has no legal authority to appoint board members, remove USADF’s president, or re-program congressionally appropriated funds. This is a blatant overreach of executive power, and we are asking the court to make clear that this attempted takeover is unlawful and must be reversed.”

The motion builds on the broader threat of DOGE’s actions, drawing parallels to the shutdown of the Inter-American Foundation and the attempted infiltration of the United States Institute of Peace.

The complaint is available here, and the motion for summary judgment and preliminary injunction is available here.

###