Public Citizen v. United States Central Command
In 2017, the press reported that the Trump Administration was considering a plan for 5,500 private contractors to advise Afghan combat forces in connection with the U.S. war in Afghanistan. On August 14, 2017, Public Citizen submitted a FOIA request to United States Central Command (“CENTCOM”) for communications between CENTCOM and Erik Prince, the former head of the security contractor Blackwater Worldwide, concerning the use of private contractors in Afghanistan. On February 25, 2021, having heard no substantive response from CENTCOM to its FOIA request, Public Citizen filed a FOIA lawsuit against CENTCOM. On February 25, 2021, having received no substantive response to the FOIA request, Public Citizen filed a FOIA lawsuit against CENTCOM. The agency then responded to the request, and we dismissed the lawsuit.