In a startling development, a senior official at the U.S. Agency for International Development (U.S.A.I.D.) instructed employees to destroy classified and personnel files amidst significant organizational upheaval caused by the Trump administration. An email from Erica Y. Carr, acting executive secretary, directed staff to empty safes containing these sensitive documents by shredding as much as possible and using burn bags for any remaining items if shredding machines became inoperative.
The agency, facing massive layoffs and operational disruptions, has had its headquarters largely vacant for weeks, raising questions about the legal standing of such document disposal. The directive raises concerns over compliance with the Federal Records Act, which mandates that officials seek prior approval from the National Archives and Records Administration before destroying any government records.
Critics point out that the documents being destroyed may have crucial relevance to lawsuits challenging the administration’s abrupt actions regarding employee terminations, agency dismantlement, and a pause on foreign aid allocations. The American Foreign Service Association, representing diplomats involved in the litigation, expressed alarm over the destruction of potentially vital documents.
Both the State Department and U.S.A.I.D. declined to comment on the matter. As the agency navigates its ongoing changes, the implications of this document disposal process remain uncertain, particularly in the face of impending legal scrutiny.
