The agency that has squandered millions of dollars during Democrat Biden's administration seeks to erase all evidence after Trump announces its closure.
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The staff of the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) received orders to destroy classified documents and personal files, according to an email released on Monday afternoon.
The email, sent by Erica Carr, acting executive secretary of USAID, instructed employees to begin destroying the documents on Tuesday morning, in an attempt to "clean" the classified and personnel files at the agency's headquarters in the Ronald Reagan Building in Washington.
Employees were directed to use paper shredders and, if these were not available, use "burn bags" to destroy the documents.
The email also indicated that the burn bags should be labeled with the words "SECRET" and "USAID/(B/IO)", and that if the bags needed to be closed with staples, they should be properly sealed.
Los empleados fueron ordenados a triturar documentos pertenecientes al edificio Ronald Reagan
The destruction of these documents could be related to the major acts of corruption in the agency reported by the Trump administration, according to some sources close to the situation.
Organizations like Democracy Forward and Public Citizen Litigation Group filed a motion to stop what they consider an illegal destruction of federal records at USAID.
In response to these actions, a spokesperson stated that the document destruction was being carried out in accordance with the Federal Records Act and that the documents being destroyed were mainly "courtesy content" and not relevant to court litigation.
They assured that the original documents remained stored in classified systems of the agency.
La administración Trump acusó a la agencia de destinar fondos a distintas causas deficientes
However, legal experts questioned the legality and appropriateness of this destruction, pointing out that the process is usually carried out only in emergency situations, such as embassy attacks, and not under normal circumstances.
The case has raised concerns among USAID employees and unions, as many of the documents being destroyed could be crucial for investigations that link the agency to the large disbursement of money on progressive causes in different countries around the world and funding to terrorist groups.
In particular, the Personnel Services Association, which represents USAID contractors, requested a judge's intervention to stop the destruction of classified documents until it can be reviewed whether they are related to causes linked to the agency's corruption.
USAID destinó millones de dólares a la financiación de grupos asociados a Hamás
The Trump administration has carried out a significant restructuring of USAID, cutting most of its programs and reducing staff, in order to achieve greater efficiency in the agency.
According to reports, 83% of humanitarian and development aid programs abroad have been canceled, and most of the agency's employees have been laid off or put on leave.
Additionally, the agency has been involved in an internal conflict due to restrictions on access to classified material by teams related to the Musk administration that have been sent to reduce the size of the federal government.
El Departamento de Eficiencia lleva una increíble labor para reducir los gastos ineficientes del estado
Meanwhile, Secretary of State Marco Rubio has also stated on social media that 83% of USAID programs have been canceled, and in recent weeks there has been great uncertainty about how funds and information related to the agency have been managed during the Biden administration.
Critics have pointed out that the destruction of the documents could be related to an attempt to eliminate evidence of possible irregularities or poor decisions by the Biden administration regarding the agency's fund allocation.
Judge Carl Nichols, who is overseeing the case, has not yet issued a ruling on the organizations' request to stop the document destruction, but has ordered reports on the matter to be submitted by Wednesday.
El secretario de Estado afirmó que el 83% de los programas de USAID fueron cancelados
