A federal judge has blocked Elon Musk’s attempt to dismantle the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), ruling that his actions—taken as part of his role in the Trump administration—likely violated the U.S. Constitution.
In a decisive preliminary ruling, U.S. District Judge Theodore Chuang ordered Musk and the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) to restore access to USAID’s systems for employees and contractors, many of whom had been placed on leave amid the agency’s rapid shutdown. The lawsuit, filed by current and former USAID staff, is one of several challenging the Trump administration’s sweeping cuts to foreign aid.
Musk, acting as a key adviser to Trump, took aggressive steps to freeze USAID’s operations. After the administration ordered a review of foreign aid spending, Musk and DOGE seized control of USAID’s financial and communication systems, halted payments, and sidelined staff. Musk even boasted on social media that he had “spent the weekend feeding USAID into the wood chipper.”
Judge Chuang found that Musk and DOGE had exercised direct control over the agency, a move he deemed likely unconstitutional. The court’s order bars them from further restricting employee access or disclosing sensitive information but does not reverse USAID’s mass layoffs, which have already crippled global relief efforts.
Despite the ruling, the administration remains defiant. Trump vowed to appeal, calling Chuang a “rogue judge” and blaming the judiciary for obstructing his agenda. Meanwhile, Secretary of State Marco Rubio confirmed plans to eliminate more than 80% of USAID’s programs.
A separate lawsuit has forced the government to release some of the frozen funds owed to USAID contractors, but payments remain stalled. With billions still in limbo, the fate of U.S. foreign aid remains deeply uncertain.
