The Supreme Court has cleared the way for President Trump’s plans to reduce the size of the federal workforce. This development comes despite warnings from various quarters about potential impacts on government services and employment.
The high court has overturned lower court orders that had temporarily halted the cuts. These reductions are being spearheaded by the Department of Government Efficiency, known as DOGE. It’s important to note that the justices were not ruling on specific cuts, but rather on an executive order issued by the President and a directive for agencies to undertake job reductions.
The court’s decision was not unanimous. Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson dissented, expressing concern about what she termed “legally dubious actions” and warning of “enormous real-world consequences.” According to Justice Jackson, this executive action could lead to “mass employee terminations” and “widespread cancellation of federal programs and services.”
Reports indicate that tens of thousands of federal workers have already been affected. Some have been fired, others have left through deferred resignation programs, and still others have been placed on leave. While there is no official figure, reliable sources suggest at least 75,000 federal employees have taken deferred resignation, with thousands more probationary workers already let go.
In May, U.S. District Judge Susan Illston ruled that the administration needs congressional approval for substantial reductions to the federal workforce. A panel of the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals upheld this decision. However, the Supreme Court’s action today overrides these lower court orders.
The White House spokesperson called the ruling “a definitive victory” for the President’s executive powers. Conversely, labor unions and nonprofit groups that sued over the downsizing warned of significant cuts to several agencies and potential impacts on services such as food safety and veterans’ healthcare.
Among the agencies affected are the departments of Agriculture, Energy, Labor, Interior, State, Treasury, and Veterans Affairs, as well as several other federal bodies. The case will now continue in Judge Illston’s court.