USAID staff were instructed to shred and burn classified documents and personnel files, raising concerns among employees and labor groups amid the agency’s dismantling under the Trump administration.

An email from Acting Executive Secretary Erica Y Carr detailed the process for disposing of documents, including using “burn bags” for classified materials.

The American Foreign Service Association (AFSA) expressed alarm, warning that some documents may be relevant to ongoing legal cases.

Critics raised concerns over the lack of proper procedures and possible violations of the Federal Records Act, the BBC has reported.

This move is part of broader efforts by the Trump administration to reduce government waste, including the cancellation of numerous USAID programs.

Written by B.C. Begley