USAID workers told to shred, burn documents, unnerving Congress; The Washington Post, March 11, 2025

 

Missy Ryan

 and 

John Hudson

, The Washington Post; USAID workers told to shred, burn documents, unnerving Congress

"The U.S. Agency for International Development ordered employees to destroy internal documents Tuesday, according to an agency directive, raising new questions about how sensitive records are being handled in the Trump administration’s drive to curtail America’s assistance activities overseas.

According to an email obtained by The Washington Post, a senior USAID official ordered employees to shred or burn documents at the organization’s Washington headquarters, including those related to agency personnel and those stored in safes used for classified material.

The efforts triggered immediate alarm on Capitol Hill, where lawmakers took steps to remind the administration of its obligation to comply with laws prohibiting the destruction of government information."