In a significant decision with far-reaching implications, the Supreme Court of the United States on Tuesday allowed President Donald Trump’s plan to downsize the federal workforce to move forward, overturning multiple lower court orders that had temporarily blocked the effort.
“Demonstrated enthusiasm for greenlighting this President’s legally dubious actions in an emergency posture,” wrote Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson, the lone dissenter in the court’s unsigned ruling.
The controversial directive, spearheaded by the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), initially led by Elon Musk, authorizes federal agencies to implement reductions in force. While the Supreme Court clarified that no specific personnel cuts were under review, it upheld the legality of both the executive order signed by Trump in February and the follow-up directive by DOGE and the Office of Personnel Management.
The court’s decision comes amid concerns that the plan could seriously disrupt critical government services and lead to mass layoffs. Labour unions and public interest groups, who had filed lawsuits challenging the downsizing, warned the court of anticipated staff cuts of 40–50% at several key agencies, including:
- Department of Agriculture
- Department of Veterans Affairs
- Department of Energy
- Department of Labour
- Department of the Treasury
- Department of the Interior
- Environmental Protection Agency
- Social Security Administration
- National Science Foundation
- Small Business Administration
In May, US District Judge Susan Illston had ruled that the administration needed congressional approval to implement such broad cuts. She ordered an immediate halt to both the executive order and DOGE memorandum. Her ruling was later upheld by the US 9th Circuit Court of Appeals in a 2–1 vote. Illston, an appointee of former President Bill Clinton, emphasized the risks to national food safety, veterans’ healthcare, and other essential services.
Since the directive’s rollout, at least 75,000 federal employees have reportedly opted for deferred resignation, while thousands more—particularly probationary employees—have been terminated or placed on administrative leave.
President Trump has consistently defended the plan, asserting that he was given a mandate by voters to overhaul and streamline the federal bureaucracy.
The now-overturned lower court rulings highlighted the gravity of the planned workforce reductions and suggested that uncoordinated execution could have destabilizing effects on public service delivery.
Despite this, the Supreme Court’s decision paves the way for agencies to resume implementing the cuts. The Trump administration has yet to provide a full accounting of total personnel impacted or timelines for further action.