Trump Appeals Judge’s Block on Federal Layoffs Plan/ Newslooks/ WASHINGTON/ J. Mansour/ Morning Edition/ The Trump administration has appealed a judge’s ruling that blocked mass layoffs at federal agencies. The plan was a key part of Trump’s push to cut government size and spending. Legal battles continue as unions and municipalities argue the layoffs bypass congressional approval.
Trump’s Layoff Plan Blocked + Quick Looks
- Judge Susan Illston extended an injunction, halting mass layoffs at federal agencies.
- Trump administration appealed to the 9th Circuit, may also seek a Supreme Court stay.
- Layoffs central to Trump’s government downsizing plan, affecting 260,000 jobs.
- Illston: Major reorganizations require Congress’s cooperation, not just executive action.
- Lawsuits challenge layoffs at HHS, DHS, Education, and other agencies.
- White House accused of dictating cuts, with agencies given minimal autonomy.
- Dozens of agencies targeted, including Veterans Affairs, State, and Commerce.
- Supreme Court appeal of earlier ruling may become moot, after Illston’s broader injunction.
Trump Appeals Judge’s Block on Federal Layoffs Plan
Deep Look
WASHINGTON — The Trump administration is escalating its legal battle to carry out sweeping federal workforce reductions, appealing a judge’s ruling that blocked mass layoffs at more than 20 U.S. government agencies. The ruling deals a blow to President Trump’s broader effort to shrink the federal government and eliminate what he and top adviser Elon Musk call bureaucratic inefficiencies.
Late Thursday, U.S. District Judge Susan Illston issued a preliminary injunction extending a ban on layoffs that had originally been set for two weeks. Her new order halts any large-scale firings while a lawsuit by unions, municipalities, and advocacy groups plays out in court.
“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,” Illston wrote.
The administration swiftly appealed the ruling to the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals and is expected to seek a stay of the injunction while the appeal is underway. It has also petitioned the U.S. Supreme Court to block Illston’s earlier temporary order from May 9, though that motion could become irrelevant if the current injunction stands.
Sweeping Job Cuts Trigger Legal Backlash
The layoffs are a key feature of Trump’s second-term economic platform, which aims to slash federal spending by eliminating “duplicative” roles, closing regional offices, reducing outside contracting, and automating routine functions. According to internal data, over 260,000 federal employees have accepted buyouts or are expected to leave by the end of September. Some of the deepest cuts include:
- 80,000 jobs targeted at the Department of Veterans Affairs
- 10,000 positions marked for elimination at the Department of Health and Human Services
Trump has framed the cuts as a way to restore efficiency and shrink the federal footprint, but critics say the mass layoffs violate procedural norms and require congressional authorization—especially for restructurings of this scale.
“They’re saying what to cut, when to cut, where to cut,” said attorney Danielle Leonard, representing the plaintiffs. “Agencies have virtually no discretion.”
Illston’s order permits federal agencies to develop internal plans or legislative proposals, but blocks any top-down layoff directives from the White House until Congress is involved.
Administration’s Legal Defense and Strategy
Government attorney Andrew Bernie argued that the administration’s executive order did not mandate immediate terminations but merely asked agencies to assess where cuts could be made.
“Those decisions will be disclosed when they are made,” Bernie told the court. “And when they are, plaintiffs can challenge them.”
The White House has said the order is exploratory and cannot yet be challenged. However, plaintiffs argue that agency heads are already acting under direct pressure from the administration to implement cuts.
Multiple lawsuits have been filed to challenge layoffs across agencies including:
- Department of Education
- Department of Homeland Security
- Department of Health and Human Services
Illston’s ruling is the broadest federal judicial check yet on Trump’s downsizing plans. It follows another judge’s decision in March requiring reinstatement of nearly 25,000 probationary federal workers, a ruling that was later paused by an appellate court.
Legal experts say that while the Supreme Court could eventually weigh in, Judge Illston’s ruling underscores growing judicial resistance to unilateral executive overreach—particularly when it affects large swaths of the public workforce.
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