A federal judge has struck down the DOGE takeover of the U.S. Institute of Peace. CBS News Department of Justice correspondent Scott MacFarlane has more.

Austin

A federal judge has invalidated the Trump administration's attempted takeover of the U.S. Institute of Peace, ruling that the actions taken during the process were unlawful. Judge Beryl Howell, presiding in Washington, D.C., issued a 100-page decision that declared the firing of board members and the assumption of control over the Institute's facilities to be null and void. The ruling characterized the administration's moves as an overreach and misuse of federal authority.

The U.S. Institute of Peace is an agency focused on promoting diplomatic solutions and conflict resolution worldwide. According to the ruling, the Trump administration had placed the Institute on its list of agencies targeted for downsizing as part of cost-saving measures. The judge's decision halts all planned reorganization efforts involving the Institute.

Legal experts and correspondents have suggested that this outcome may influence future cases concerning efforts to downsize or eliminate federal agencies. Judge Howell's opinion referenced Congress's significant authority over federal agencies, and noted the adverse effects the attempted reorganization had on Institute staff and leadership.



Judge overturns DOGE takeover of U.S. Institute of Peace

We are following breaking news just coming into the newsroom right now. A federal judge found the Trump administration's takeover of the U.S. Institute of Peace is null and void after determining that Doge's actions were unlawful. So let's bring in CBS News Department of Justice correspondent Scott McFarlane. This just coming in just a few moments ago. Can you break it down for us? What did the judge say? A 100-page ruling from Judge Beryl Howell in Washington, D.C., and one page is more blistering and scathing than the previous one. She says that this whole takeover of the U.S. Institute of Peace, the firing of board members, the takeover of the building space is null and void. She calls it an overreach, a usurpation of federal authorities and a misuse of power by the Trump administration. This is an institute that helps exert soft power across the world using means to diplomatically or through other means secure peace, to end war, to end strife. But this is also something the Trump administration has had on its Department of Government Efficiency hit list to downsize or reduce to save money. As of now, Judge Beryl Howell says the plans are off and the reorganization is no more. So, Scott, the outcome of this particular ruling, I mean, this isn't the only department that DOJ has, frankly, come in and just cleaned house and cut so much of the of the program. Is this going to have an impact on other potential cases involving DOJ and its cuts? Oh, it sure could. You can see these other institutions, these other organizations and agencies making the same argument that Congress shares or has more jurisdiction over the agency than the president or the administration do. And therefore, this DOJ effort to cut costs or cut agencies is unlawful. And as I'm reading from the opinion here, this lengthy opinion from Judge Howell, she uses the word unlawful a couple dozen times. And in perhaps the most telling excerpt of this ruling, she says this not only represents a misuse of power and a way of conducting government affairs, but was unnecessarily traumatizing to the committed leadership and employees of the Institute of Peace, who she says deserve better. And I'm underscoring the overall issue here, which this is not just about agencies, but about the federal workers impacted by the downsizing. Scott McFarland, thank you so much for that breaking news.

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