Judge pauses Trump's effort to reduce the size of the federal government
A federal judge in California on Friday temporarily blocked plans for reductions in force and reorganization at 21 departments and agencies across the federal government, a significant setback for the Trump administration as it works to downsize.
A federal judge in California on Friday temporarily blocked plans for reductions in force and reorganization at 21 departments and agencies across the federal government, a significant setback for the Trump administration as it works to downsize.
“The President has the authority to seek changes to executive branch agencies, but he must do so in lawful ways and, in the case of large-scale reorganizations, with the cooperation of the legislative branch,” Judge Susan Illston wrote in her order after hearing arguments on the issue earlier in the day.
“Many presidents have sought this cooperation before; many iterations of Congress have provided it. Nothing prevents the President from requesting this cooperation — as he did in his prior term of office. Indeed, the Court holds the President likely must request Congressional cooperation to order the changes he seeks, and thus issues a temporary restraining order to pause large-scale reductions in force in the meantime,” she wrote.
Late on Friday, attorneys for the government filed their appeal, asking the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 9th Circuit to review Illston’s temporary restraining order.
The temporary restraining order, in effect for two weeks, puts the president’s Department of Government Efficiency “Workforce Optimization Initiative” on hold for 21 departments and agencies. The order also includes memos issued to the same effect by the Office of Personnel Management and DOGE.
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