Judge Blocks Trump’s Firing of Federal Workers in 19 States, DC/ Newslooks/ WASHINGTON/ J. Mansour/ Morning Edition/ A federal judge has blocked the Trump administration from terminating probationary federal employees in 19 states and Washington, D.C. The ruling requires agencies to reverse the firings, but it doesn’t apply nationwide. Critics call the wave of legal pushback against Trump’s agenda a “judicial coup.”
Federal Worker Ruling Quick Looks
- Judge halts Trump administration from firing probationary federal employees.
- Ruling applies only to 19 states and D.C. that sued.
- Agencies ordered to reverse “purported terminations” by April 8.
- Order impacts 18 federal departments, not a national injunction.
- Trump has faced 15 broad court orders since taking office.
- Former Speaker Gingrich calls legal resistance a “judicial coup.”
- Most judges blocking Trump policies appointed by Democrats.
- Ruling issued by U.S. District Court Judge James Bredar.
- Legal pushback continues to challenge Trump’s sweeping executive actions.
- Conservative leaders question legitimacy of repeated court interventions.
Judge Blocks Trump’s Firing of Probationary Employees in 19 States, DC
Deep Look
Federal Judge Blocks Trump from Firing Thousands of Probationary Employees in 19 States
President Donald Trump’s administration faced another judicial roadblock on Wednesday, as a federal judge temporarily blocked the firing of thousands of probationary federal employees across 19 states and Washington, D.C.
The decision, issued by U.S. District Court Chief Judge James Bredar in Maryland, affects 18 federal agencies and mandates that they reverse any terminations made under Trump’s recent executive order by April 8. However, the order is limited in scope and does not apply nationwide—only to the states whose attorneys general filed the lawsuit.
States Protected Under the Ruling
States impacted include California, New York, Illinois, Michigan, and others, along with the District of Columbia. These jurisdictions successfully argued that Trump’s effort to terminate federal employees in their probationary period—those who have not yet completed one year of federal service—was unlawful and politically motivated.
Trump’s executive order, part of his broader second-term push to streamline the federal workforce, had called for rapid dismissals of workers deemed noncompliant with new administrative directives, particularly in departments tied to immigration and drug enforcement.
Trump’s Judiciary Battles Mount
Judge Bredar’s ruling is just the latest in a growing list of legal challenges confronting Trump’s executive actions. Since returning to office in January, Trump has been hit with at least 15 major court orders, far surpassing the judicial resistance experienced by Presidents Biden, Obama, or Bush during comparable points in their presidencies.
While Bredar’s ruling is not a nationwide injunction like others seen in previous cases, it reflects a wider trend of judicial intervention in the Trump administration’s policies.
Gingrich: ‘Judicial Coup’ Against Trump
Former House Speaker Newt Gingrich criticized the surge of court rulings blocking Trump’s agenda during recent testimony before a House Judiciary subcommittee. Gingrich labeled the legal pushback a “judicial coup d’état,” arguing that the rulings are politically motivated and overwhelmingly issued by Democrat-appointed judges.
“You don’t have this many different judges issue this many different nationwide injunctions… and just assume it’s all random justice,” Gingrich said, asserting that this represents an effort to halt the “scale of change” Trump is pursuing.
A Broader Conservative Backlash
Gingrich’s testimony aligns with a growing chorus of conservative voices frustrated by what they view as judicial overreach. Critics point out that individual federal judges can wield enormous influence, sometimes freezing national policies through injunctions that stall executive authority.
Supporters of the court challenges argue that the judiciary is performing its role as a check on executive power—particularly when it comes to sweeping decisions like mass federal worker terminations without due process.
Legal and Political Implications
While the current ruling does not overturn Trump’s broader federal workforce policy, it does create significant complications for its implementation. Agencies will now need to reinstate or review thousands of terminations, and additional legal challenges are expected in the coming weeks.
The case highlights the ongoing tension between the Trump administration’s assertive governance style and the legal guardrails erected by federal courts. With a wide array of executive orders on immigration, trade, and civil service reform already drawing lawsuits, the courts appear to be a key battleground for Trump’s second-term agenda.
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