The lawsuit filed late Tuesday in U.S. District Court in Washington describes the lengths that institute staff resorted to, including calling the police, in an effort to prevent DOGE representatives and others working with the Republican administration from accessing the headquarters near the State Department.

A federal judge set an emergency hearing after law enforcement helped DOGE enter and take over an independent non-profit established under President Ronald Reagan.

Trump and Musk ordered the institute to reduce its size, as part of DOGE's efforts. The issue, USIP says, is their employees aren't federal workers.