U.S. Institute of Peace Faces Scrutiny Over Taxpayer Funds, Claims DOGE

The United States Institute of Peace (USIP), a federally funded organization dedicated to conflict resolution, is under fire after a post by the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) on X accused it of misusing taxpayer dollars. The post, shared today, claims that USIP’s $55 million annual congressional budget has been mishandled, with funds diverted to a private endowment and questionable contracts.

According to DOGE, USIP receives $55 million each year from taxpayer funds allocated by Congress. This figure aligns with reports from Reuters, which noted the institute’s expected budget for the current fiscal year. Established in 1984 under President Ronald Reagan, USIP aims to prevent and resolve global conflicts, but DOGE alleges that its financial practices under prior management have strayed from this mission.

The X post states that previous USIP leadership transferred excess funds into a private endowment lacking congressional oversight. Over the past 10 years, DOGE claims, approximately $13 million went into this endowment, primarily spent on private events and travel. No public financial records from USIP, such as its annual reports available on usip.org, detail this $13 million figure or its specific uses as of March 31, 2025, leaving the claim unverified without further evidence from DOGE.

Each year, the United States Institute of Peace (USIP) receives $55M in congressional (taxpayer) funds.

– Prior management would sweep excess funds into its private Endowment (zero congressional oversight).
-In the past 10 years, USIP has transferred ~$13M to its private…
— Department of Government Efficiency (@DOGE) March 31, 2025

DOGE also listed several now-canceled USIP contracts, raising eyebrows with their recipients and amounts:

•   $132,000 to Mohammad Qasem Halimi, described as an ex-Taliban member and Afghanistan’s former Chief of Protocol.
•   $2,232,500 to an outside accountant who allegedly tried to delete over 1 terabyte of accounting data—data DOGE says was recovered after new leadership took over.
•   $1,307,061 to the Al Tadhamun Iraqi League for Youth.
•   $675,000 for private aviation services.

These contract details, including the dramatic accusation of data deletion, remain unconfirmed by independent sources. USIP’s public budget summaries, accessible via congress.gov, don’t itemize such expenditures, and no prior news reports from outlets like AP News or CNN mention these specific recipients as of today. DOGE’s claims suggest access to internal records, possibly obtained during its recent takeover of USIP’s headquarters, as reported by AP News on March 19, 2025.

The allegations come amid a broader shakeup at USIP. On March 28, The media outlets reported that nearly all U.S.-based staff were terminated, and the institute’s board was dismantled following DOGE’s intervention. The Trump administration, with DOGE—led by Elon Musk—pushing to cut federal spending, has targeted USIP as an example of inefficiency. USIP’s leadership has fought back, filing a lawsuit earlier this month claiming the takeover violates its status as an independent nonprofit, per CNN. That legal battle continues, with a federal judge declining to halt DOGE’s actions on March 18.

USIP has not yet responded to today’s specific claims from DOGE. Historically, the institute has defended its work, citing contributions like training peace negotiators and advising on national security, as outlined in its mission statement. For now, DOGE’s post has thrust USIP into the spotlight, but without supporting documents—such as contracts or financial audits—the full story remains unclear. As the administration presses its cost-cutting agenda, all eyes are on whether USIP can weather this storm.