WASHINGTON, March 19 (Reuters) - A federal judge on Wednesday allowed the takeover of the U.S. Institute of Peace by tech billionaire Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency, after USIP accused members of Musk’s team of occupying the building by force.

The emergency ruling came after members of Musk’s team on Monday gained access with the help of police officers to USIP, an independent, nonprofit organization funded by the U.S. Congress and whose Washington headquarters sits just across the street from the U.S. State Department.

U.S. District Judge Beryl Howell said while she was troubled by the way DOGE had entered USIP with armed police, she was not going to order a temporary halt to DOGE’s actions because there was too much confusion in the institute’s emergency lawsuit.

“I have to say I am offended on behalf of the American citizens,” Howell said, referring to the way in which DOGE had entered USIP. She said USIP staff had been treated “abominably.”

Howell said, however, that USIP had not met the high bar for a temporary restraining order, but she wanted to have another hearing on the issue.

After a dramatic standoff in which a handful of USIP staff initially locked all the doors to the building to prevent DOGE agents getting access on Monday, the agents, with the help of police, expelled the institute’s president, several staffers and an attorney from the building.

Howell described as “terrorizing” the use of armed law enforcement.