Allegations Rise as U.S.A.I.D. Employees Ordered to Destroy Key Documents**

A directive from U.S.A.I.D. to dispose of records has ignited legal and ethical controversies among diplomats and watchdog groups, with implications for ongoing litigations against the agency.**

A senior official at the U.S. Agency for International Development (U.S.A.I.D.) prompted alarm this week after instructing staff to dispose of classified documents and sensitive personnel records. The directive, allegedly relayed via email by acting executive secretary Erica Y. Carr, commands employees to shred or burn crucial files, raising questions regarding the agency's adherence to federal regulations.

As a wave of terminations sweeps through U.S.A.I.D. under the Trump administration, Carr's email emphasized urgency in clearing safes containing vital records. “Shred as many documents first, and reserve the burn bags for when the shredder becomes unavailable or needs a break,” the email reportedly stated. The agency's dwindling workforce, due to mass layoffs and remote work policies, has left headquarters largely deserted, adding uncertainty to the handling of these documents.

Crucially, it remains undisclosed whether U.S.A.I.D. secured approval from the National Archives and Records Administration prior to this impending destruction. According to the Federal Records Act, such authorizations are mandatory, intended to preserve documents that may hold significance for ongoing legal proceedings against U.S.A.I.D., particularly in relation to employee terminations and halted grants.

The American Foreign Service Association, representing diplomatic personnel and a participant in related litigation, expressed deep concern over these actions. "We are alarmed by reports that U.S.A.I.D. has directed the destruction of classified and sensitive documents that may be relevant to ongoing litigation regarding the termination of U.S.A.I.D. employees and the cessation of U.S.A.I.D. grants,” said a union representative in response to the directive.

Despite calls for clarity from the State Department and U.S.A.I.D. officials, responses remain forthcoming, leaving stakeholders anxious about the implications of this directive and its potential impact on legal accountability and governance within the agency.