More than four hours of body camera video released this week shows the events surrounding a tense standoff at the U.S. Institute of Peace in Washington, D.C., during the early months of the Trump administration’s takeover of the agency.

The footage, obtained by News4, captures interactions between Metropolitan Police Department officers, Department of Government Efficiency officials, and staff members of the institute during the confrontation that took place on March 17.

The videos show D.C. police officers communicating with representatives of the Department of Government Efficiency, commonly referred to as DOGE, as they worked to enter the building and remove institute staff members.

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The U.S. Institute of Peace had been targeted by the Trump administration as part of a broader effort to restructure federal agencies. The confrontation followed a previous unsuccessful attempt by DOGE personnel to gain access to the building.

On the day of the incident, the institute’s doors were locked. Only a small group of staff members remained inside, including the institute’s president, Ambassador George Moose, and several attorneys representing the organization, including George Foote.

Foote later described the experience as highly unusual for someone with decades of legal experience.

“That was terrifying. I mean, I’ve practiced law for a long time and I’ve never seen that sort of confrontation, with police keeping me from going into a client’s property or some other property. It was really disorienting. It was very concerning,” Foote said.

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He also reflected on the broader implications of the incident in the months that followed.

“Looking back on it, how that was just a model for the things that have happened since then, of the Minneapolis situation, the federalization of the D.C. police department by the feds,” Foote said. “So, it was a precursor in many ways.”

Metropolitan Police Department officials had previously acknowledged that officers were asked by the U.S. attorney to assist with the takeover effort.

The newly released video provides a detailed timeline of how officers entered the building and allowed DOGE personnel to gain access.

In the footage, MPD Commander Jason Bagshaw is seen meeting outside the building with Kenneth Jackson, the Trump administration’s appointee selected to lead the institute, along with another administration official involved in the operation.

During the conversation captured on camera, Bagshaw discusses the immediate objective of the operation.

“So, the goal right now is to get access to the building and then basically everybody has to go,” Bagshaw said.

Jackson then describes his plan for taking control of the institute once entry was secured.

“Especially this lawyer that’s representing – I’m going to cancel their contract, I’m going to fire him, and we’re going to take control of the agency,” Jackson said.

Jackson also explained why local police assistance was necessary.

“Private building, and that’s why we need MPD. If it were GSA, it would be very simple,” Jackson said.

After the discussion outside, Bagshaw contacted the institute’s head of security, Colin O’Brien, who was among the staff members inside the building.

The video shows Bagshaw greeting O’Brien and shaking his hand. O’Brien initially believed police had arrived because the institute had requested assistance documenting the situation.

“I’d love to be able to have an officer come down who’d actually like to file a report so that this is properly documented,” O’Brien said.

Once Bagshaw was allowed inside the building, he continued speaking with O’Brien for several minutes without explaining that officers were assisting the federal takeover.

Bagshaw then walked back to the entrance and allowed additional Metropolitan Police Department officers to enter the building.

O’Brien can be heard in the video asking that only local police officers be allowed inside.

“I will ask that we only let D.C. Metro into the building,” O’Brien said.

Shortly afterward, police officers opened the door and allowed Kenneth Jackson and several DOGE employees to enter the institute.

While the events were unfolding on the lower level of the building, Foote and another attorney were upstairs with Ambassador Moose.

Within minutes, Foote went downstairs to confront the police officers and DOGE personnel about their presence.

During a brief exchange captured on camera, Foote asked Bagshaw whether police were escorting the federal officials into the building.

“Gentleman, you are escorting these folks into the building?” Foote asked.

Bagshaw responded by saying the officers had arrived after receiving a call regarding the situation.

“No, we got a call with reference to what was going on,” Bagshaw said.

As Foote attempted to return upstairs, the situation escalated and police made clear that the institute’s staff members would not be allowed back into the building.

“The four of you are not coming back in today. That’s where we are,” Jackson said.

Foote responded by pointing out the imbalance in authority during the confrontation.

“You’ve got guns. I don’t,” Foote said.

Metropolitan Police Department officers then escorted the institute’s staff members out of the building.

However, the confrontation did not end immediately. Ambassador Moose and another staff member remained inside the president’s office suite located on the fifth floor and refused to leave.

According to the video and police records, officers spent approximately an hour attempting to gain access to the upper levels of the building.

At several points, officers used knives and other tools in an effort to pry open stairwell doors that had been locked from the inside.

The standoff at the institute drew national and international attention at the time because it occurred during the early phase of the administration’s effort to assert control over several federal agencies.

The newly released body camera footage provides the most detailed account yet of the events that unfolded inside the building on March 17 as officers and federal officials moved to take control of the U.S. Institute of Peace.

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