In brief
Recent developments have emerged from the U.S. Agency for International Development (U.S.A.I.D.) as employees have been directed to shred and burn classified documents, a move that has sparked concerns regarding legality and self-accountability amidst a backdrop of significant administrative changes under the Trump administration.
On March 11, 2025, a senior U.S.A.I.D. official instructed employees via email to dispose of documents stored in classified safes and personnel files, emphasizing to “shred as many documents first,” and utilize burn bags only if shredders were unavailable. This directive came as the agency dealt with a significant reduction in workforce, with thousands laid off or placed on leave and many working remotely, leaving U.S.A.I.D. offices largely empty.However, the legality of this destruction is in question. It remains unclear whether Erica Y. Carr, the acting executive secretary of U.S.A.I.D., or any other officials sought proper clearance from the National Archives and Records Administration before proceeding with the document disposal. The Federal Records Act mandates that government officials must receive authorization prior to destroying governmental records.The documents in question hold potential relevance to ongoing court cases regarding the mass termination of U.S.A.I.D. employees and the sudden halt of foreign aid. Almost immediately, the American Foreign Service Association, a union representing career diplomats involved in a lawsuit, expressed alarm over these reports, noting that destroying pertinent documents related to ongoing litigation is troubling. As this situation continues to develop, the ramifications of the document destruction could significantly impact current and future legal proceedings involving the U.S.A.I.D. and its operations under the Trump administration.
