A federal judge has intervened to block President Donald Trump’s controversial plan to place 2,200 employees at the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) on paid leave, just hours before the action was set to take effect.
Judge Carl Nichols issued a temporary restraining order in response to a lawsuit filed by two labor unions representing the affected workers. This order is effective for one week, lasting until midnight on February 14. Under Trump’s directive, approximately 500 staff members had already been placed on administrative leave, with another 2,200 set to follow from midnight on Friday.
Legal Action and Union Response
In total, the Trump administration aimed to place nearly all of USAID’s 10,000 employees on leave, with the exception of 611 workers. The emergency lawsuit argued that the government’s actions were unconstitutional and posed significant harm to the employees. Judge Nichols agreed with the unions, stating that they would face “irreparable harm” if the court did not act, while asserting that there would be “zero harm to the government.”
“All USAID employees currently on administrative leave shall be reinstated until that date, and shall be given complete access to email, payment, and security notification systems until that date, and no additional employees shall be placed on administrative leave before that date,” Nichols ruled.
The judge will also consider a request for a longer-term injunction during a scheduled hearing on Wednesday. However, the order does not clarify the future of the remaining employees’ positions.
Impact of USAID and Trump’s Budget Cuts
As the ruling was issued, USAID’s signage at its Washington, D.C. headquarters was being removed and covered. USAID stands as the largest global aid donor, with a substantial portion of its budget allocated to health initiatives worldwide. Of its 10,000 employees, two-thirds operate overseas, providing crucial support in developing regions.
Trump has criticized USAID as an ineffective use of taxpayer funds, and his administration has targeted the agency as part of broader efforts to reduce federal spending. The president’s campaign included promises to overhaul government operations, leading to the formation of an advisory group titled the Department of Government Efficiency (Doge), which is headed by tech entrepreneur Elon Musk.
The recent ruling followed an emergency petition from the American Foreign Service Association and the American Federation of Government Employees. During the proceedings, Judge Nichols, nominated by Trump, appeared less inclined to support other requests from the lawsuit, including the restoration of grants and contracts or reopening USAID facilities.
The legal argument presented by the unions maintained that Trump was acting without congressional authorization in his efforts to dismantle the agency. The suit stated, “Not a single one of defendants’ actions to dismantle USAID were taken pursuant to congressional authorization,” emphasizing that only Congress holds the legal authority to dissolve the agency.
In defense of the administration’s position, Justice Department official Brett Shumate claimed that the president has identified corruption and fraud at USAID.
Shortly after assuming office on January 20, Trump signed an executive order halting all foreign assistance until it could be re-evaluated to align with his “America First” policy. This decision led to a stop-work order at USAID, which oversees health and emergency programs in approximately 120 countries, including some of the most impoverished areas globally.
Trump remarked on his Truth Social platform, “USAID IS DRIVING THE RADICAL LEFT CRAZY. THE CORRUPTION IS AT LEVELS RARELY SEEN BEFORE. CLOSE IT DOWN!” In contrast, Samantha Power, who led USAID under President Joe Biden, criticized these actions in a New York Times opinion piece, stating, “We are witnessing one of the worst and most costly foreign policy blunders in US history.”
The United States remains the largest single humanitarian aid provider globally, with USAID’s budget totaling around $40 billion, representing about 0.6% of the yearly $6.75 trillion federal budget. Winnie Byanyima, the executive director of UNAIDS, warned about the global repercussions of funding cuts, predicting a potential increase of 6.3 million AIDS-related deaths over the next five years if funding is not reinstated.