A federal judge in California has temporarily halted the Trump administration’s directive requiring the U.S. Department of Defense and other federal agencies to terminate thousands of recently hired employees.
During a hearing on Thursday, U.S. District Judge William Alsup ruled that the U.S. Office of Personnel Management (OPM) lacked the authority to mandate such dismissals, including those of probationary employees with less than a year of experience.
The initiative, led by Republican President Donald Trump and billionaire entrepreneur Elon Musk, who heads the newly established Department of Government Efficiency, seeks to significantly downsize the federal workforce. This unprecedented effort has sparked strong opposition from Democratic lawmakers, labor unions, and federal employees, who argue that the terminations are unlawful and risk undermining essential government operations.
In response to the backlash, the administration has had to recall personnel in critical roles. However, President Trump has continued to back Musk’s initiative, aligning with his objective of cutting $1 trillion from the federal budget, which currently stands at $6.7 trillion.
Concerns Over Government Functions and Budget Feasibility
Budget analysts remain skeptical about Musk’s ability to achieve such significant savings solely through personnel reductions and curbing waste and fraud. Experts suggest that deeper cuts to government programs, including social benefits, may be necessary to meet the administration’s financial targets.
On Thursday, hundreds of probationary employees at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), which conducts critical climate research, were informed of their termination, according to a source familiar with the situation. NOAA officials declined to comment on the matter.
At the Internal Revenue Service (IRS), concerns are mounting over potential widespread job losses. The head of the agency’s Transformation and Strategy Office, a team of 60 employees focused on modernization efforts, warned his staff that their entire division could face elimination. David Padrino, the office’s chief, announced his resignation effective next week, amid growing uncertainty about the IRS’s future staffing levels. Senior executives have been advised to prepare for substantial workforce reductions in the coming weeks.
Meanwhile, OPM has directed at least two dozen of its remote employees to relocate to Washington, D.C., by March 7 or risk losing their positions.
Legal Ruling and Implications
In his ruling, Judge Alsup ordered OPM to rescind a January 20 memorandum and a February 14 email instructing agencies to identify and dismiss probationary employees deemed non-essential. He noted that while he could not directly prohibit the Department of Defense from proceeding with its plan to terminate 5,400 employees, the administration’s sweeping layoffs could cause significant disruptions to national parks, scientific research, and services for veterans.
“Probationary employees are the lifeblood of our government. They start at entry-level positions and advance through the ranks. This is how we renew our workforce,” said Alsup, who was appointed by former Democratic President Bill Clinton.
The White House and the U.S. Department of Justice did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
The lawsuit challenging the terminations was filed by a coalition that includes the American Federation of Government Employees—the largest federal employee union—alongside four other labor unions and nonprofit organizations advocating for veterans’ services and national park conservation.
Government’s Defense and Future Legal Challenges
The Trump administration contends that OPM’s directive merely instructed agencies to review their probationary workforce and assess potential terminations, rather than mandating them. However, during the hearing, Justice Department attorney Kelsey Helland faced skepticism from Judge Alsup, who questioned whether every federal agency had independently decided to implement such extensive staff reductions.
Alsup has ordered OPM to formally notify the Defense Department and other federal agencies that the memo and email regarding probationary employees are invalid. His ruling is a temporary measure while the court evaluates the broader legal challenge, which asserts that OPM overstepped its authority and improperly attempted to enforce a policy change without adhering to required administrative procedures.
The administration’s efforts to reshape the federal workforce continue to face legal hurdles. A second wave of layoffs targeting career employees began this week, and a White House directive issued on Wednesday instructed agencies to submit plans for significant staffing reductions by March 13. However, with ongoing litigation and mounting opposition, the future of these workforce reduction initiatives remains uncertain.
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