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The US Supreme Court has put a temporary hold on a lower court’s directive that would have forced the federal government to rehire thousands of employees dismissed during the Trump administration.
This latest decision delays a ruling that had ordered six federal agencies to bring back around 16,000 probationary workers who were removed from their positions as part of a major downsizing effort.
Non-Profits Lack Legal Standing, Court Says
The high court, which currently leans conservative, determined that the non-profit groups that filed the original lawsuit did not have the legal grounds to pursue the case.
According to the 7-2 ruling, the order by Judge William Alsup from California was based entirely on claims made by nine non-profit organizations.
“But under established law, those allegations are presently insufficient to support the organizations’ standing,” the justices stated.
Last month, Judge Alsup had called out the reasoning behind the layoffs, labeling the justification of “poor performance” a “sham.” He directed the Departments of Treasury, Veterans Affairs, Agriculture, Defense, Energy, and Interior to rehire the dismissed employees.
The Supreme Court’s intervention is seen as a temporary win for the Trump administration while the broader legal process unfolds.
A Broader Effort to Shrink Government
Since his return to the White House in January, President Trump has intensified efforts to trim the federal workforce.
His administration has aggressively cut spending and terminated tens of thousands of workers from the government’s more than two million-strong employee base.
This Supreme Court move ensures that, for now, those 16,000 workers remain off the federal payroll while the courts continue to evaluate the case.
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