Mass Layoffs Loom As Supreme Court Backs Trump’s Plan For Federal Workforce Downsizing

The Supreme Court reversed a lower court’s decision in Tuesday’s ruling, clearing the way for Trump’s executive order directing government agencies to lay off hundreds of thousands of federal employees.

The judges said, “We express no view on the legality of any.” Liberal Justice Sonia Sotomayor also agreed with the court’s ruling, but noted that the question might return to the Supreme Court, NPR reported.

Donald Trump Attempts To Overturn Federal Bureaucracy

Those proposed layoffs, some of which were put forward earlier this year, may still be subject to legal challenges on various grounds, including union resistance, statutory barriers, and civil service protections.

In response to other Trump administration’s emergency requests, the Supreme Court has repeatedly stood with President Donald Trump in his attempts to overturn the federal bureaucracy. The court’s conservative majority has allowed the administration to remove independent regulators and thousands of probationary employees while legal battles continue in the lower courts.

Donald Trump’s Push To Centralize Bureaucracy

The ruling is the latest victory for Trump’s overall push to centralize power in the executive branch. The Supreme Court has ruled in Trump’s favor on a number of cases on an emergency basis since his return to office in January, including paving the way for the enforcement of some of his tough immigration policies.

The Supreme Court ruling on Tuesday overturned San Francisco-based U.S. District Judge Susan Illston’s May order temporarily enjoining massive federal firings while the case moved forward. 

“As history shows, the president can restructure federal agencies broadly only when Congress so authorizes,” Illston stated. Illston had determined that Trump overstepped his authority by issuing orders for the government to downsize without seeking approval from Congress, which had created and funded the targeted agencies.

The plaintiffs had threatened in court documents that Trump’s proposals, if permitted to go forward, would lead to the laying off of hundreds of thousands of workers.