The White House has revealed details about a directive for the destruction of outdated documents within the United States Agency for International Development (USAID). This action comes amid controversy as employee unions filed an emergency motion for a temporary restraining order to prevent what they claim is a violation of the Federal Records Act. How will the destruction of these documents impact ongoing federal investigations or oversight?
USAID Document Destruction Order Sparks Legal Challenge
Employee unions representing USAID staff have filed an emergency motion seeking a temporary restraining order to block the destruction of agency records. According to a court filing, USAID employees were explicitly instructed to empty classified safes and destroy agency records, raising concerns about compliance with federal record-keeping laws.
The directive came through an email from USAID’s acting executive secretary, Erica Carr, who reportedly told staff to “Shred as many documents first, and reserve the burn bags for when the shredder becomes unavailable or needs a break.” This instruction has alarmed the American Foreign Service Association, which is now monitoring the situation closely while urging USAID leadership to provide immediate clarity.
🚨🚨 THIS IS A 5-ALARM FIRE 🚨🚨 Right now, as we speak, today, USAID is shredding and burning the contents of the agency's classified safes — the key information needed to reconstruct the history of USAID's weaponization both at home and abroad. THIS MUST BE STOPPED pic.twitter.com/G4uEuUY0yd
— Mike Benz (@MikeBenzCyber) March 11, 2025
White House Defends Record Management Practice
White House Deputy Press Secretary Anna Kelly has defended the document destruction directive, stating that the materials in question were outdated and duplicative. According to Kelly, “The documents involved were old, mostly courtesy content (content from other agencies), and the originals still exist on classified computer systems,” suggesting the action was part of standard records management practices rather than an attempt to destroy evidence.
The document destruction comes amid broader changes at USAID, with the agency’s headquarters building reportedly set to be occupied by U.S. Customs and Border Protection. USAID’s website was taken offline following President Trump’s executive order, and many employees have been placed on paid administrative leave as part of the organizational restructuring.
🚨BREAKING: USAID is telling people to prepare for an ALL DAY SHREDDING EVENT to burn and shred all USAID documents. This isn't even parody. They're deleting history in real time. SPEECHLESS. pic.twitter.com/akCVyj3juJ
— Autism Capital 🧩 (@AutismCapital) March 11, 2025
Broader Context of USAID Restructuring
The document controversy exists within the larger context of President Trump’s 90-day freeze on foreign aid and development funding. Secretary of State Marco Rubio has stated that 83% of USAID contracts were canceled because they did not align with U.S. national interests, representing a significant shift in foreign aid policy.
The unions involved claim that the dismantling of USAID violates both the Constitution and federal laws, prompting their legal challenge. Their concern extends beyond document destruction to the fundamental restructuring of an agency that has played a significant role in U.S. foreign policy and international development efforts for decades.