Washington, DC – Today, Rep. Gregory W. Meeks, Ranking Member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, and Rep. Gerald E. Connolly, Ranking Member of the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, sent a letter to Secretary of State Marco Rubio, who is also concurrently serving as Acting Administrator of the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) and Acting Archivist of the United States. The Ranking Members’ letter identifies serious concerns of conflicts of interest stemming from this “triple-hatted appointment,” exemplified by a recent directive to dispose of classified documents and personnel records at USAID in a potential violation of the Federal Records Act, which Mr. Rubio would concurrently enforce as Acting Archivist.
“We write to determine whether the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) complied with federal law when it conducted a rushed disposal of classified and personnel records on March 11, 2025, and in any subsequent disposals. We are alarmed that the nature of your appointment to concurrently serve as the Secretary of State, Acting USAID Administrator, and Acting Archivist of the United States presents a fundamental conflict of interest that harms the political and functional independence of federal agencies and the integrity of their missions, with concerning implications for federal records management practices. We request documents and information related to any and all disposal directives related to USAID and additional documentation of your compliance with all federal laws governing the retention of records,” wrote the Ranking Members.
On March 11, 2025, public reports detailed that a senior USAID official issued a memo to staff to conduct a document disposal of components in “classified safes and personnel documents” located in USAID’s headquarters. This event was reportedly scheduled for Tuesday, March 11, 2025, at 9:30 a.m. and the directive stated that employees must “[s]hred as many documents first, and reserve the burn bags for when the shredder becomes unavailable or needs a break.” If any such records were destroyed in violation of the Federal Records Act, which governs preservation and handling of federal records, USAID Acting Administrator Rubio would be required to report such violations to himself as Acting Archivist.
“This situation highlights the grossly inappropriate nature of your appointment as Acting Archivist of the United States while you concurrently serve as a Senate-confirmed Secretary of State and Acting USAID Administrator and deepens our concerns about the haphazard way in which the Trump Administration has recklessly dismantled USAID despite its establishment in law as an independent agency. As you know, the Archivist of the United States is chiefly responsible for overseeing federal government records management and preservation, including the planning, development, and administration of federal policies and procedures for such federal records. Your temporary appointment to NARA presents a fundamental conflict of interest that undermines Congress’s intent with the Federal Records Act and the integrity of NARA,” concluded the Ranking Members.
The Federal Records Act is the primary statute governing record-keeping and disposition requirements for federal agencies and establishments. The Federal Records Act ensures official business of the federal government, including classified information, is appropriately preserved and accessible to the American public.
If the directive to shred classified and personnel documents held in USAID offices constituted any change in the retention period for those files, the Federal Records Act would require agency officials to obtain approval from NARA and publish such changes to any records schedule in the federal register. The Committee is not aware of any such notice.
Ranking Members Meeks and Connolly requested documents and information relevant to this matter, and an internal investigation of all records disposal activities conducted on or after March 11, 2025, be completed no later than April 7, 2025.
Click here to read the letter to Secretary Marco Rubio.
“We write to determine whether the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) complied with federal law when it conducted a rushed disposal of classified and personnel records on March 11, 2025, and in any subsequent disposals. We are alarmed that the nature of your appointment to concurrently serve as the Secretary of State, Acting USAID Administrator, and Acting Archivist of the United States presents a fundamental conflict of interest that harms the political and functional independence of federal agencies and the integrity of their missions, with concerning implications for federal records management practices. We request documents and information related to any and all disposal directives related to USAID and additional documentation of your compliance with all federal laws governing the retention of records,” wrote the Ranking Members.
On March 11, 2025, public reports detailed that a senior USAID official issued a memo to staff to conduct a document disposal of components in “classified safes and personnel documents” located in USAID’s headquarters. This event was reportedly scheduled for Tuesday, March 11, 2025, at 9:30 a.m. and the directive stated that employees must “[s]hred as many documents first, and reserve the burn bags for when the shredder becomes unavailable or needs a break.” If any such records were destroyed in violation of the Federal Records Act, which governs preservation and handling of federal records, USAID Acting Administrator Rubio would be required to report such violations to himself as Acting Archivist.
“This situation highlights the grossly inappropriate nature of your appointment as Acting Archivist of the United States while you concurrently serve as a Senate-confirmed Secretary of State and Acting USAID Administrator and deepens our concerns about the haphazard way in which the Trump Administration has recklessly dismantled USAID despite its establishment in law as an independent agency. As you know, the Archivist of the United States is chiefly responsible for overseeing federal government records management and preservation, including the planning, development, and administration of federal policies and procedures for such federal records. Your temporary appointment to NARA presents a fundamental conflict of interest that undermines Congress’s intent with the Federal Records Act and the integrity of NARA,” concluded the Ranking Members.
The Federal Records Act is the primary statute governing record-keeping and disposition requirements for federal agencies and establishments. The Federal Records Act ensures official business of the federal government, including classified information, is appropriately preserved and accessible to the American public.
If the directive to shred classified and personnel documents held in USAID offices constituted any change in the retention period for those files, the Federal Records Act would require agency officials to obtain approval from NARA and publish such changes to any records schedule in the federal register. The Committee is not aware of any such notice.
Ranking Members Meeks and Connolly requested documents and information relevant to this matter, and an internal investigation of all records disposal activities conducted on or after March 11, 2025, be completed no later than April 7, 2025.
Click here to read the letter to Secretary Marco Rubio.