Hundreds of U.S. Institute of Peace Workers Fired, Rehired, Then Fired Again

One year after Trump administration's DOGE cuts, workers whose lives were upended question what was saved

Mar. 27, 2026 at 4:18pm

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Hundreds of employees at the United States Institute of Peace were fired, rehired, and then fired again as part of the Trump administration's efforts to shrink the federal government through the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE). A year later, many of those impacted are left wondering whether the pain was worth it, as the actual savings from the DOGE initiatives remain unclear.

Why it matters

The upheaval at USIP highlights the broader impact of the Trump administration's aggressive efforts to cut federal jobs and agencies, which resulted in the departure of more than 260,000 government workers in 2025. While the administration claimed significant savings, the actual financial impact is disputed, with concerns raised about the costs of mass layoffs, lawsuits, and the need to rehire essential personnel.

The details

The DOGE, led by Trump adviser Elon Musk, targeted USIP, a congressionally funded independent nonprofit focused on promoting global peace. DOGE staffers took over USIP's headquarters, fired most of the 300-plus employees, and even had Trump's name placed on the building. While a judge initially reversed the firings, an appeals court later reinstated them, leaving USIP's future uncertain as the case awaits a Supreme Court decision.

  • On March 28, 2025, termination notices were sent to USIP employees, resulting in most of the 300-plus staffers being fired within two hours.
  • In June 2025, an appeals court stayed the judge's decision that had restored control of USIP and reinstated workers with backpay.

The players

Thea Price

A former program operations manager at the United States Institute of Peace who was fired, rehired, and then fired again as part of the DOGE initiatives.

Elon Musk

The then-Trump adviser who led the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) and instigated the purges of federal agencies.

United States Institute of Peace (USIP)

A congressionally funded independent nonprofit focused on promoting global peace that was targeted by the DOGE initiatives.

Liz Callihan

A former communications employee at USIP who has applied for 140 jobs since being fired.

Davis Ingle

A White House spokesperson who defended the Trump administration's DOGE initiatives as eliminating waste, fraud, and abuse in the federal government.

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What they’re saying

“Nobody was prepared for the complete destruction. And for what?”

— Thea Price, Former program operations manager, United States Institute of Peace

“What DOGE did is it cut so big and so deep and so randomly that when the Cabinet secretaries came in, and Elon Musk was gone, they realized that they had to bring some of these people back.”

— Elaine Kamarck, Senior fellow, Brookings Institution

“I absolutely ask myself every day what all this was for.”

— Liz Callihan, Former communications employee, United States Institute of Peace

What’s next

The case involving the firings at USIP is suspended, awaiting a U.S. Supreme Court decision in another personnel-related case that could expand the president's control over federal agencies.

The takeaway

The upheaval at USIP highlights the human toll of the Trump administration's aggressive efforts to shrink the federal government, with many workers left wondering if the purported savings were worth the disruption to their lives. The lack of clear financial accounting for the DOGE initiatives raises questions about the true impact and whether the reforms achieved their stated goals.