USAID employees have been instructed to shred and burn classified documents and personnel files, raising concerns among staff and unions. An internal email directed workers to clear out safes and dispose of materials, prompting fears of improper document destruction.
The American Foreign Service Association (AFSA) warned that such actions could violate federal laws requiring record preservation, especially amid ongoing lawsuits over USAID's dismantling under the Trump administration.
The National Security Counselors legal group has filed a complaint with the National Archives to halt potential unlawful destruction. The State Department has not yet commented.