Rural Development Innovations (RDI), a Zambian consulting firm fully funded by the United States African Development Foundation (USADF), together with former USADF employees Paul Olson and Solomon Chi, have brought this lawsuit to challenge the Trump Administration’s attempt to dismantle USADF. Following President Trump’s Executive Order declaring USADF “unnecessary” and directing its functions be reduced, the administration installed Pete Marocco as “Acting Chair” of USADF, despite lacking any legal authority to do so. Marocco then convened a “Board meeting,” appointed himself President, terminated nearly all grants, dismissed most staff, and dismantled the agency’s operations. Plaintiffs allege that Marocco lacked lawful authority to take these actions, and in doing so, defendants violated the Federal Vacancies Reform Act, the African Development Foundation Act, the Administrative Procedure Act, and the Appointments Clause of the Constitution. Plaintiffs seek declaratory and injunctive relief preventing defendants from dismantling the agency.
