Employees of Elon Musk‘s Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) have entered the U.S. Institute of Peace amid opposition from the nonprofit, which insists it is an independent agency, not part of the executive branch.

The institute’s CEO, George Moose, condemned the move, stating, “DOGE has broken into our building.”

A senior U.S. Institute of Peace official, speaking anonymously due to the sensitivity of the matter, told the Associated Press that DOGE staff gained access Monday after multiple failed attempts and being turned away on Friday. It remains unclear what they were searching for inside the building, which is located across from the State Department in Washington’s Foggy Bottom.

DOGE has shown interest in the nonprofit for weeks but has been repeatedly rebuffed by lawyers arguing that the institute’s independent status shields it from the ongoing restructuring of federal agencies.

The U.S. Institute of Peace describes itself as a nonpartisan, independent organization focused on preventing violent conflicts and brokering peace deals abroad. Established by Congress in 1984, the institute asserts on its website that it does not fit legal definitions of a “government corporation,” “government-controlled corporation,” or “independent establishment” under U.S. law.

This is a developing news story and will be updated as more information is available.

Reporting by the Associated Press contributed to this story.