The United States African Development Foundation (USADF) is an independent U.S. government agency established in 1980 to support African-owned and African-led enterprises that improve lives and livelihoods in underserved communities in Africa. It provides direct development assistance through grants, seed capital, and technical support, focusing on community-led development.

Early this year, President Trump unlawfully removed Ward Brehm from his position as President of USADF, and appointed Pete Marocco to a position that doesn’t exist under the law: “Acting” Chair of USADF.  

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.

Democracy Forward filed suit on behalf of Rural Development Innovations Limited (RDI) and two longtime U.S. African Development Foundation (USADF) employees to stop the administration from unlawfully dismantling of the agency, and asked the court to block Marocco’s unlawful appointments, restore legal control over the agency, and stop the 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.