U.S. Court Orders Trump Admin to Reinstate Fired Workers

U.S. Court Orders Trump Administration to Reinstate Suspended Workers

Two separate courts in the United States have ruled that federal employees who were suspended last month by the Trump administration must be reinstated.

In California, Judge William Alsup described the dismissals as a politically motivated maneuver aimed at downsizing the federal workforce. His ruling, which was later echoed by a Maryland court, affects workers across multiple government agencies, including the Department of Defense, Department of Energy, the Treasury, and other essential sectors.

The Justice Department has defended the suspensions, arguing they were implemented in accordance with federal guidelines and directives issued by the Office of Personnel Management (OPM). Despite this stance, the courts have deemed the action unlawful, mandating the reinstatement of affected employees.

The BBC has sought a response from OPM, which oversees federal employees’ welfare and has come under increased scrutiny amid Trump’s return to office.

Reacting to the ruling, White House spokesperson Karoline Leavitt criticized Judge Alsup, accusing him of overstepping his judicial authority by interfering with executive hiring and dismissal powers.

"The power to hire and fire belongs to the President, and a single district judge cannot unilaterally override the administration’s agenda," Leavitt stated.

"The Trump administration will swiftly challenge this absurd and unconstitutional ruling," she added.

Although Elon Musk’s name was not mentioned in the California case, he has been tasked by President Trump with reducing the federal workforce through the newly created Government Efficiency Department, also known as "Doge."

However, the White House has denied claims that Musk officially leads the Doge agency, despite Trump referring to him as such during his recent State of the Union address.