U.S. Institute of Peace Accused of Deleting Data to Conceal Alleged Crimes

The U.S. Institute of Peace (USIP), a congressionally funded nonprofit dedicated to conflict resolution, is embroiled in controversy after allegations surfaced that its officials attempted to delete vast amounts of financial data to hide unspecified crimes. The claims, made by Elon Musk, head of the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), have intensified an ongoing legal and political battle surrounding the institute’s future.

Musk alleged on April 2 that USIP officials erased one terabyte of financial records as DOGE, tasked with slashing government spending under President Donald Trump’s administration, began scrutinizing the organization. “They deleted a terabyte of financial data to cover their crimes, but they don’t understand technology, so we recovered it,” Musk posted on X. He did not specify the nature of the alleged crimes, though some posts on X have speculated about links to funding controversial groups abroad, claims that remain unverified.

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