A federal judge has issued an immediate order to halt key aspects of President Donald Trump's plan to dismantle the U.S. Agency for International Development, preventing Secretary of State Marco Rubio from placing 2,200 agency employees on leave within hours.
During an emergency hearing, U.S. District Judge Carl Nichols, appointed by Trump, firmly stated that the 2,200 individuals should not be placed on administrative leave. He expressed his intention to formalize this decision later in the evening.
Backlash Against Dismantling USAID
This ruling serves as a swift rebuke to the dismantling of USAID, a pivotal government agency overseeing billions in international aid programs. The acceleration of efforts to dissolve the agency, led by Elon Musk, faced a setback with the judge's decision. Earlier that day, Trump had advocated for the closure of USAID.
Judge Nichols is deliberating on whether to mandate the government to bring back 500 employees who were recently placed on leave while a lawsuit filed by USAID workers and their union progresses.