Federal judges in two lawsuits have declined to order the Trump administration to halt the destruction of U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) records. As President Trump reduces USAID operations, cutting funding and terminating programs, concerns arose over the disposal of classified documents. U.S. District Judge Carl Nichols found that the records set for disposal were old and unrelated to ongoing legal battles. Another judge, Tanya Chutkan, noted assurances from administration officials that document destruction had ceased and wouldn’t resume without notice to parties involved. Chutkan urged collaboration to determine how USAID records should be managed going forward, emphasizing that a restraining order would be extreme.
The handling of classified material and federal records is closely regulated by law, prompting a union for USAID contractors to seek intervention to prevent evidence destruction. USAID officials clarified that documents slated for disposal were duplicates or derived from other classified sources, with no destruction of personnel records or current program-related documents. Additionally, statements were filed assuring no further destruction without notice and an investigation into USAID’s actions by the National Archives and Records Administration.
The issue of classified documents at USAID escalated when top security officials were placed on leave for denying access to classified material to government-cutting teams. Judge Chutkan acknowledged the urgency of the situation but encouraged cooperation between the parties involved in resolving the matter. The case signifies the complexity surrounding the disposal of sensitive records amid organizational changes within USAID.
