Trump appeals judge's block on mass layoffs at federal agencies
Source: Reuters
May 23, 2025 3:22 PM EDT Updated 2 hours ago
May 23 (Reuters) - The administration of President Donald Trump appealed on Friday a federal judge's decision that extended a block on mass layoffs by federal agencies, a key piece of the Republican president's plans to downsize the U.S. government. In an order late Thursday, U.S. District Judge Susan Illston barred agencies from mass layoffs pending the outcome of a lawsuit by unions, nonprofits and municipalities, saying Trump needed permission from Congress before reorganizing federal agencies.
The Trump administration appealed the decision to the San Francisco-based 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, and will likely ask the court to pause Illston's ruling pending the outcome of the appeal. White House spokesman Harrison Fields said Congress has granted the president the authority to implement mass layoffs and called Illston's decision "extreme judicial overreach."
"The President must retain the ability to manage the Executive Branch, including implementing reductions in force when necessary, as has been the practice for nearly 150 years," Fields said in a statement. The decision was the latest instance of a federal judge checking an aggressive push by Trump and billionaire adviser Elon Musk to drastically shrink or eliminate many federal agencies, make it easier to fire government workers and strip them of the ability to join unions.
On May 9, Illston had blocked about 20 agencies from making mass layoffs for two weeks and ordered the reinstatement of workers who had already lost their jobs. In Thursday's late-night order, she largely continued the relief provided in the temporary restraining order. "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," wrote Illston, an appointee of Democratic former President Bill Clinton.
Read more: https://www.reuters.com/business/world-at-work/trumps-government-overhaul-line-court-hearing-over-mass-layoffs-2025-05-22/
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That's a complete LIE. And they cannot produce any legislation that "grants" anything of the sort.
What happened over the past 4 months was a flagrant violation of the Impoundment Act AND Antideficiency Act, with the jumping up and down with chainsaws gutting every agency they could find, and offering BUYOUTS that were NOT part of any appropriations for FY'25, INCLUDING not being present in the current C.R. that they are operating under at the moment.
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