The U.S. Supreme Court has authorized President Trump’s administration to proceed with large-scale federal layoffs and agency restructuring as part of his initiative to reduce and reshape the government workforce.
San Francisco-based U.S. District Judge Susan Illston’s order blocking widespread federal job cuts, known as “reductions in force,” was lifted by the Supreme Court.
Driving the news: President Trump had directed agencies to prepare for a government overhaul in February, aiming to significantly reduce the federal workforce and eliminate offices and programs opposed by the administration.
- The planned workforce reductions were slated for several departments, including Agriculture, Commerce, Health and Human Services, State, Treasury, Veterans Affairs and over a dozen other agencies.
- Judge Illston ruled that Trump had overstepped his authority in ordering the downsizing, supporting a group of unions, non-profits, and local governments that challenged the administration’s actions.
- She halted the agencies from conducting mass layoffs and restricted their ability to cut or restructure federal programs, also calling for the reinstatement of workers who lost their jobs, pending the appeals process.
- The San Francisco-based 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals previously denied the administration’s request to halt Judge Illston’s ruling, emphasizing that the president’s executive powers do not extend to the extent portrayed in the government restructuring order.
The big picture: In response, the Justice Department filed an emergency request to the Supreme Court, arguing that controlling federal agency personnel falls within the president’s core constitutional powers and does not require special permission from Congress.
- Plaintiffs opposed the Trump administration’s rapid reorganization, cautioning that implementing the plan would result in loss of critical government services, abolishment of programs, downsizing beyond congressional authorization and the termination of federal employees’ jobs.
