A federal appeals court has denied the Trump administration’s effort to move forward with mass layoffs across federal agencies, keeping a lower court’s order in place and halting the planned workforce reductions.
Key Facts:
- The Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals upheld a lower court ruling that blocked mass layoffs across 21 federal agencies.
- U.S. District Judge Susan Illston originally blocked the firings on May 9, arguing Trump needed congressional approval.
- Trump’s February executive order aimed to reduce federal workforce size through “reductions in force.”
- Labor unions and left-leaning groups, backed by Democracy Forward, filed a lawsuit opposing the move.
- Twenty-one states filed a brief defending the executive branch’s authority over agency staffing decisions.
The Rest of The Story:
The Ninth Circuit refused the Trump administration’s request to overturn Judge Susan Illston’s decision that froze sweeping layoffs at multiple federal agencies.
The court’s ruling prevents the government from moving forward with about 40 “reductions in force,” also known as RIFs, aimed at cutting back what many consider a bloated and unaccountable bureaucracy.
Solicitor General John Sauer argued the judge had no authority to stop the executive branch from managing personnel within its own departments.
“The district court’s injunction forces the government to retain employees deemed unnecessary,” he said.
The layoffs were part of President Trump’s February executive order to streamline government operations and curb waste.
Illston ruled the administration had not followed proper legal procedures and said that Congress—not the President—must approve major agency changes.
Her order was in response to a lawsuit filed by labor unions, local governments, and progressive nonprofits aiming to protect federal jobs and resist the President’s authority.
President Trump has appealed the injunction set by a Susan Illston, a radical senior United States judge of the United States District Court for the Northern District of California. District judges continue to hold the presidency hostage while congress is nowhere to be found. pic.twitter.com/LiqOa8OehO
— Kim "Katie" USA (@KimKatieUSA) May 23, 2025
Commentary:
Once again, a federal court has inserted itself into a clear-cut executive decision, showing just how far the judiciary is willing to go to sabotage this administration.
President Trump signed an executive order to cut waste and reduce federal bloat—an authority clearly within the purview of the executive branch.
Instead, unelected judges are blocking even routine staffing decisions, paralyzing the government’s ability to function.
This isn’t just legal wrangling—it’s a calculated effort to run out the clock on Trump’s presidency.
By preventing the administration from executing its policy vision, these rulings serve the very purpose of opposition groups who lost at the ballot box.
The judiciary has taken on the role of obstructionist-in-chief.
The lawsuit wasn’t just brought by government employees; it was orchestrated by far-left groups like Democracy Forward, the same kind of organizations that have made it their mission to weaponize the courts against conservative governance.
This is lawfare dressed up in robes, not constitutional restraint.
Twenty-one states saw the danger here and filed a brief warning about judicial overreach.
But that wasn’t enough for the Ninth Circuit, one of the most activist courts in the country.
Instead of deferring to the executive, they’ve allowed unelected judges to micromanage personnel decisions across the federal government.
At some point, Trump will have to stop playing defense and assert the constitutional authority of the presidency.
No president—Republican or Democrat—can allow the judiciary to neuter the power of the executive branch this way.
Otherwise, we’re not living under three coequal branches.
We’re living under judicial tyranny.
If a constitutional crisis is coming, it won’t be because Trump stepped out of line.
It’ll be because the judicial branch decided to stage a soft coup by blocking every major move he tries to make.
The Bottom Line:
The courts are holding up President Trump’s plan to cut government waste through mass federal layoffs, siding with labor unions and activist groups over executive authority.
This decision reflects a broader pattern of judicial resistance aimed at neutralizing Trump’s presidency.
If the judiciary continues to override lawful executive actions, the real crisis may not be in the White House—it may be in the courtroom.
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