In March 2025, the Trump administration faced intense scrutiny following allegations of improper document destruction at the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) . An email, purportedly from USAID Acting Executive Secretary Erica Carr, directed staff to shred and burn classified and personnel documents at the agency’s Washington headquarters. This directive led to legal challenges from unions and organizations, raising concerns about violations of federal record-keeping laws and the potential destruction of evidence relevant to ongoing lawsuits regarding the dismantling of USAID.
What Sparked the Document Destruction Directive at USAID?
The controversy began with an email, allegedly from Erica Carr, instructing USAID staff to destroy classified and personnel documents. The email explicitly stated, “Shred as many documents first, and reserve the burn bags for when the shredder becomes unavailable or needs a break,” also directing staffers to mark bags for burning with “secret”. This sparked immediate concerns about the legality and motives behind the directive.
Did the Document Destruction Violate Federal Records Laws?
Several sources suggest that the document destruction may have violated the Federal Records Act of 1950 . The National Security Archive asserted that the “shredding party at the Reagan Building in Washington, putting classified foreign aid files and personnel records into burn bags, breaks the law and attempts to erase history”. The American Foreign Service Association (AFSA) also expressed alarm, noting the importance of preserving government records for transparency and legal processes.
What Evidence Was at Risk of Being Destroyed?
Unions and organizations, such as the Personal Services Contractor Association and AFSA, argued that the destruction could eliminate evidence relevant to ongoing lawsuits challenging the Trump administration’s dismantling of USAID. These lawsuits contested program terminations and employee firings. A joint status report indicated that the government would “not destroy additional documents stored in the USAID offices in the Ronald Reagan Building without affording notice to Plaintiffs and an opportunity to raise the issue with the Court”.
How Did the Trump Administration Defend the Document Destruction?
The Trump administration downplayed the significance of the destruction. White House Deputy Press Secretary Anna Kelly claimed the documents were “old, mostly courtesy content (content from other agencies), and the originals still exist on classified computer systems”. An unnamed administration official stated that the move complied with the Federal Records Act and was related to clearing the building for Customs and Border Protection.
What Was the Scale of USAID’s Dismantling Under the Trump Administration?
The document destruction occurred amidst a broader effort to dismantle USAID. Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced the cancellation of “83% of the programs at USAID”. Widespread firings and program terminations were also reported. The classified documents controversy at USAID emerged when the Trump administration put the agency’s top two security officials on leave after they allegedly refused to grant members of Elon Musk’s government-cutting teams access to classified material.
What Legal Challenges and Court Interventions Arose?
The situation led to legal challenges aimed at halting the document destruction. A judge, Carl Nichols, ordered the government to provide notice before destroying additional documents and to submit a declaration explaining which documents were and were not destroyed. The plaintiffs requested a temporary restraining order to block the destruction of records.
What Were the Concerns Regarding Transparency and Accountability?
Critics, such as Rep. Gregory Meeks, suggested the destruction was an attempt to cover up wrongdoing related to the agency’s dismantling. He stated, “Haphazardly shredding and burning USAID documents and personnel files seems like a great way to get rid of evidence of wrongdoing when you’re illegally dismantling the agency”.
The USAID document destruction controversy in 2025 raised significant questions about transparency, accountability, and adherence to federal record-keeping laws. The incident occurred within the context of the Trump administration’s broader efforts to dismantle USAID, raising concerns about the potential loss of critical information and the obstruction of justice. Further investigation is needed to fully understand the extent of the document destruction, its compliance with legal requirements, and its impact on ongoing legal challenges and future USAID operations.