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US Supreme Court clears way for Donald Trump’s federal workforce downsizing plan
The decision comes despite warnings that critical government services could be disrupted and hundreds of thousands of federal employees risk losing their jobs.
The Supreme Court of the United States on Tuesday cleared the way for President Donald Trump’s sweeping plan to downsize the federal workforce, overriding lower court rulings that had temporarily blocked the move.
The decision comes despite warnings that critical government services could be disrupted and hundreds of thousands of federal employees risk losing their jobs.
In an unsigned order, the justices overturned multiple lower court freezes on the cuts, which have been spearheaded by the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), the Associated Press reported.
The court clarified that no specific personnel cuts were under review, only the executive order signed by Trump and a subsequent administration directive instructing agencies to undertake reductions in force.
Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson cast the sole dissenting vote, criticising the majority for a “demonstrated enthusiasm for greenlighting this President’s legally dubious actions in an emergency posture.”
President Trump has repeatedly claimed that voters gave him a mandate to overhaul the federal government and has entrusted that mission to billionaire businessman Elon Musk, who led DOGE until his recent departure.
Since the directive’s introduction, tens of thousands of federal employees have either been terminated, entered deferred resignation programmes, or been placed on administrative leave.
Over 75,000 US federal employees opt for deferred resignation
While the administration has not released an official figure, at least 75,000 employees are reported to have opted for deferred resignation, and thousands of probationary workers have already been dismissed.
In May, US District Judge Susan Illston ruled that the administration required congressional approval to make such substantial cuts to the federal workforce. A panel of the US 9th Circuit Court of Appeals upheld her order in a 2–1 vote, warning that the reductions could affect essential functions, including the nation’s food safety system and veterans’ healthcare.
Following her ruling, Illston ordered multiple federal agencies to cease implementing both the president’s executive order, issued in February, and a subsequent memorandum from DOGE and the Office of Personnel Management. Illston was appointed to the bench by former Democratic President Bill Clinton.
Labour unions and non-profit organisations that filed suit against the downsizing presented the Supreme Court with several examples of potential consequences if the plan were allowed to proceed, including anticipated staff reductions of between 40 and 50 per cent at several key agencies.
Among the agencies affected by the executive order are the Departments of Agriculture, Energy, Labour, the Interior, State, the Treasury, and Veterans Affairs.
The cuts also impact the National Science Foundation, the Small Business Administration, the Social Security Administration, and the Environmental Protection Agency.
With AP inputs
