Federal judge halts White House plan to cut federal workforce
A judge temporarily blocks federal job cuts as unions fight back, with Democrats warning of risks for employees
(NBC NEWS)- A federal judge has temporarily halted the White House’s effort to shrink the federal workforce, delaying planned job cuts until at least a Monday hearing. The ruling follows lawsuits filed by federal employee unions challenging the legality of the buyout program aimed at reducing government jobs.
The Trump administration had offered buyouts to over 2 million federal workers, but only about 60,000 accepted, far fewer than anticipated. White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt defended the initiative, stating, “If they don’t want to show up to the office, if they want to rip the American people off, then they’re welcome to take this buyout.”
Democratic Concerns and Union Lawsuits
Democrats and labor unions have criticized the program, arguing that employees taking the buyout may not receive the promised compensation. Senator Mark Warner (D-Virginia) expressed concerns, saying, “My fear is these folks are going to be scammed then be the first to be fired because they’ve raised their hands.”
The U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) is among the hardest hit, with reports indicating that its workforce will shrink from more than 5,000 employees to fewer than 300. Two unions have filed lawsuits, arguing that only Congress has the authority to make such cuts.
Additionally, thousands of employees at the General Services Administration (GSA) were warned of potential layoffs as the administration seeks to reduce federal building space in alignment with a smaller workforce.
Elon Musk’s Role and Trump’s Praise
President Trump has applauded the downsizing efforts, with billionaire Elon Musk playing a significant role. “Elon Musk is helping us on it. He’s pretty good,” Trump remarked.
However, congressional Democrats are vowing to push back against Musk’s influence, especially as they prepare for the upcoming government funding deadline. Representative Greg Casar (D-Texas) stated, “I don’t see many Democrats being willing to say, hey, we’re going to pass a budget that is going to just funnel money to Elon Musk.”
Budget Battles Ahead
As tensions over the cuts escalate, the Senate confirmed Russell Vought as White House budget director in a party-line vote. Republicans argue that Vought will help restore fiscal responsibility, while Democrats fear he will freeze federal funding.
With the threat of a government shutdown looming, President Trump has been meeting with congressional Republicans to solidify support for his cost-cutting agenda.
The coming days will determine whether the courts uphold the judge’s ruling or allow the administration’s workforce reductions to proceed. Meanwhile, federal workers and their unions remain locked in a legal battle to protect their jobs.
