As USAID clears out, official directs employees to use shredders, burn bags on documents

A senior official with the embattled United States Agency for International Development sent an email Tuesday to remaining bureau leaders with guidance on "clearing our classified safes and personnel documents" at the aid agency's Washington, D.C., headquarters, according to a copy of the email obtained by ABC News.

The message urged officials to "shred as many documents first" and to "reserve the burn bags for when the shredder becomes unavailable or needs a break," according to the email, sent by Erica Carr, the acting executive secretary.

"The only labeling required on the burn bags are the words 'SECRET' and 'USAID/(B/IO)' in dark sharpie, if possible," the email said.

It was not immediately clear why the message was sent, but some current and former USAID officials speculated that it has to do with clearing out office space that is expected to be taken over by Customs and Border Patrol, as Elon Musk, the head of the Department of Government Efficiency, announced on X last month.

Musk, who last month said, without evidence, that "USAID is a criminal organization. Time for it to die," has been overseeing the dismantling of the agency.