Ambassador George Moose, former director of the US Institute of Peace.
I was shocked to see photos of my friend George Moose being escorted out of the United States Institute of Peace in Washington. Outraged to see George Moose removed from a Congressionally established institution “dedicated to protecting U.S. interests by helping to prevent violent conflicts and broker peace deals abroad.” On March 14, George Moose was fired by the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) as president of the United States Institute of Peace (USIP) and then days later physically escorted out of an institution that prides itself on being a “nonpartisan, independent organization.”
“’DOGE just came into the building — they’re inside the building — they’re bringing the F.B.I. and brought a bunch of D.C. police,’” Sophia Lin, a lawyer for the institute, said by telephone as she and other officials were being escorted out,” reported The New York Times.
Who is George Moose to be treated in such a fashion? Ambassador Moose has had an outstanding, distinguished diplomatic career. Among other titles, he was Assistant Secretary of State for African Affairs, Ambassador to the United Nations in Geneva as well as Ambassador to the Republics of Benin and Senegal. He has been recognized by the State Department by a Senior Performance Award, Superior Honor Awards, and the Meritorious Honor Award. He was promoted to the rank of Career Ambassador in 2002. In addition to a brilliant diplomatic career, George has taught at George Washington University and is a fellow at Harvard’s Institute of Politics. You couldn’t find a more dedicated, engaged, public servant and United States representative than George Moose, as I witnessed during his time in Geneva and after.
On what basis was George removed? DOGE lawyers entered the USIP building and said that Moose was no longer president after an Executive Order changed several members of USIP’s Board. But did the Executive branch have jurisdiction over the direction of an organization established by Congress? The same question is being raised with the hollowing of USAID, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, the Department of Education and other institutions established by Congress.
Tens of thousands of dedicated federal employees are finding themselves out of work in dubious legal circumstances. Moose, like thousands of others will protest the situation in courts. Yet, there is no certainty that the Trump administration will respect court rulings if layoffs are determined to be illegal.
As an example, Trump people went ahead deporting 200 so-called gang members to El Salvador after a federal judge had ruled against the deportation. Using the arcane wartime Alien Enemies Act of 1798, Justice Department lawyers have argued that the United States is at war, justifying the deportation of “enemies.” The judge’s ruling had little effect. Trump’s so-called border czar, Tom Homan defiantly said; “We’re not stopping,” he declared on “Fox & Friends.” “I don’t care what the judges think — I don’t care what the left thinks. We’re coming.”
Coming for George Moose, coming for aliens protected by law, and coming for tens of thousands of civil servants who have dedicated their lives to serving their country.
Beyond federal employees, and “illegal aliens,” Trump and Musk have also started coming after higher education. Recent federal cuts to universities such as Columbia and Johns Hopkins have started a brain drain to European universities that could become a typical Third World phenomenon. Le Monde reported that “Aix-Marseille University wants to fund the work of some 15 academics in fields targeted by the new U.S. administration.” Science reports that “At the University of Lausanne, oncologist Johanna Joyce… says unsolicited applications to her lab from U.S.-based scientists have risen fivefold since January.” It’s clear,” she says, “that the future for so many scientists in the U.S. and around the world has rapidly become very uncertain.”
Uncertain in the sense that they are coming for those who are not loyal and submissive. This is a most opportune moment to recall the oft-quoted poem by Martin Niemoller:
“First they came for the Communists. And I did not speak out. Because I was not a Communist. Then they came for the Socialists. And I did not speak out. Because I was not a Socialist. Then they came for the trade unionists. And I did not speak out. Because I was not a trade unionist. Then they came for the Jews. And I did not speak out. Because I was not a Jew. Then they came for me. And there was no one left. To speak out for me.”
Were you shocked at the photo of George leaving USIP? They came for George. They are coming for federal workers. They are coming for those who have legal protection. There are coming for academics and universities. Who and what will be next?
