Aid agency Officials put on leave after standoff over sensitive data

Two senior security officials at the US Agency for International Development (USAid) have been put on administrative leave after they blocked efforts by members of Elon Musk's Department of Government Efficiency (Doge) to turn over sensitive data, four current and former officials from the agency told the Guardian yesterday.

- Andrew Roth

The demands led to a tense standoff during which a senior deputy to Musk threatened to call in the US marshals to grant access to the building. The officials said John Voorhees, USAID's director of security, and a deputy blocked efforts by Doge members to physically access restricted areas. The Doge officials eventually did gain access on Saturday to the aid agency's classified information, which includes intelligence reports, they said.