USAID exec director to agency: Burn everything

In a decisive move reflecting the ongoing dismantling of the US Agency for International Development (USAID), acting executive director Erica Carr has instructed the agency's remaining staff to engage in an extensive document destruction effort at its former Washington headquarters, reports Politico. The directive, issued via email, mandates an "all day" operation to eliminate materials stored in classified safes and personnel files within the Ronald Reagan Building.

Carr's email advises staff to prioritize shredding documents and utilize burn bags labeled "SECRET" and "USAID/B/IO/" when shredders are unavailable or require maintenance. The communication does not specify reasons for the mass destruction, though it coincides with the agency's recent mass layoffs and the impending occupation of the building by Customs and Border Protection, which leased 390,000 square feet of office space last month.

Former USAID staff have described the scale of document destruction as unprecedented, highlighting that while routine disposal of outdated materials is standard, an agency-wide purge of this magnitude is highly unusual.

The dismantling of USAID aligns with the administration's broader agenda to reduce government spending and workforce. Secretary of State Marco Rubio recently announced the cancellation of 83 percent of USAID's programs, with the remaining initiatives to be integrated into the State Department. This strategy has raised concerns about the future of global humanitarian efforts previously supported by the agency.