The Trump administration’s sweeping overhaul of the federal workforce is set to continue after a judge in Washington, D.C., ruled that courts have little power to stop the mass dismissals. The ruling, a setback for labor unions, allows the administration to proceed with its aggressive downsizing of federal agencies, despite concerns over disruption and chaos.
U.S. District Judge Christopher Cooper acknowledged the turmoil caused by the administration’s actions but concluded that disputes over federal employment matters belong before the Federal Labor Relations Authority, not the courts. As a result, the unions’ attempt to block the firings was dismissed, keeping President Donald Trump’s campaign to shrink the federal bureaucracy on track.
The White House has framed the layoffs as part of a broader effort to eliminate wasteful spending and inefficiencies, but labor groups argue that the moves sidestep congressional authority. The National Treasury Employees Union, one of the plaintiffs in the case, vowed to continue fighting the administration’s efforts, calling them an “illegal end-run on Congress.”
The cuts, which have already resulted in thousands of job losses across multiple federal agencies, are being overseen by the newly formed Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), led by Tesla CEO Elon Musk. The agency has been tasked with identifying and eliminating roles deemed unnecessary, with a particular focus on recently hired employees still within their probationary period.
The decision represents another legal blow to unions that have struggled to halt the administration’s aggressive downsizing. Previous court challenges have failed on similar grounds, with judges ruling that unions lack standing to contest the dismissals. With legal options narrowing, unions now face the prospect of continuing job cuts unless Congress steps in.
