USAID’s Operating Environment Under a Compromised Chain of Command
TL:DR
USAID's legal chain of command is broken. We must be skeptical of directives because unappointed and unauthorized individuals from DOGE are issuing anonymous directives using USAID’s IT systems. DO NOT LEAVE POST UNLESS YOU HAVE AN ASSIGNMENT CABLE.
A lawful order is:
- Allowed by law.
- Comes from an authorized person.
Any directive that cannot be traced back to a legally authorized person or that does not comply with established laws and policies is an illegal order .
Why recent “orders” are not lawful
- Anonymous emails or website postings that do not specify the author or their legal authority.
- Directives could have been issued by individuals not legally empowered to give them, including unauthorized political appointees or external actors embedded in government agencies.
- Orders that contradict U.S. law or existing policy
When can they lawfully tell me to leave?
In the Foreign Service, legal orders are delivered through the State Department cable system, which provides an official, verifiable record of assignments and directives. Assignment cables, equivalent to military orders, clearly state:
– Who is issuing the directive
– Why they are authorized to do so
– What the order means for the recipient
You can be lawfully directed to leave the country if you are:
– Sent on TDY
– Are assigned a new duty station via an assignment cable
– Are directed to evacuate by the Ambassador
– Fired via a reduction in force
How USAID Personnel Should Respond
Given the compromised nature of USAID’s chain of command all employees should:
- Push leadership to verify any directive through official channels (Mission Directors and Ambassadors must determine who gave the order).
- Ignore anonymous emails or website postings—orders must be verifiable.
- Do not allow leaders to direct action until the order has been verified