A federal appeals court has upheld a lower court’s decision blocking President Donald Trump’s order to reorganize the federal government and fire thousands of federal employees.
What Happened?
On February 11, Trump signed an executive order aimed at reducing waste and reshaping the government by initiating large-scale layoffs and restructuring across federal agencies. This included agencies like the Office of Personnel Management (OPM), Office of Management and Budget (OMB), and a newly created Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE).
However, a federal judge, Susan Illston, blocked these efforts, saying the agencies did not have the legal authority to carry out such widespread firings and restructuring. The judge found that Congress had not given these agencies power to force big layoffs or reorganize the government in this way.
The Appeals Court Decision
On Friday, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 9th Circuit agreed with the lower court in a 2-1 decision. The court said the government agencies acted “ultra vires” — meaning beyond their legal powers.
The court rejected the government’s arguments that the Constitution gave the president this authority, stating clearly that neither the Constitution nor any law allows the president to direct such sweeping layoffs or changes.
The government also claimed the executive order was just “policy guidance,” but the court called this claim misleading and said the order went far beyond normal presidential powers.
Dissenting Opinion
One judge disagreed, arguing the court should only block the firings if they would stop agencies from doing their legally required work. But the majority still found that the government had not shown the firings would be safe or lawful.
