US Supreme Court
The U.S. Supreme Court on Tuesday cleared a major legal obstacle for President Donald Trump’s administration to proceed with sweeping layoffs across the federal government.
The court’s decision supports Trump’s efforts to drastically reduce the size of the civilian federal workforce and reorganize or shutter entire agencies—moves that could result in hundreds of thousands of job cuts and reshape the structure of the U.S. government for years to come.
The ruling comes in response to an executive order issued by President Trump in February, directing federal agencies to prepare for large-scale layoffs and structural downsizing. Departments including Agriculture, Commerce, Health and Human Services, State, Treasury, and Veterans Affairs are among those with downsizing plans already in motion.
The Supreme Court, in a brief unsigned opinion, stated that the administration is “likely to succeed” in its argument that the president has the authority to carry out these changes without prior congressional approval.
This decision lifts a previous injunction issued by U.S. District Judge Susan Illston in May, which had temporarily blocked the layoffs. Illston had ruled that the president lacked the constitutional authority to unilaterally restructure or reduce agencies that were established and funded by Congress. She emphasized the historical precedent that such actions require legislative approval.
However, the Supreme Court’s ruling, though not a final verdict on the legality of specific layoff plans, allows the Trump administration to proceed with its efforts while litigation continues. It marks another win for Trump in a series of Supreme Court decisions that have reinforced the executive branch’s authority since his return to office in January.
The court has previously backed several of his controversial policies via emergency rulings, including immigration enforcement and bans on transgender service members in the military.
A White House statement celebrated the court’s decision as a “definitive victory” that affirms the president’s commitment to streamlining government and improving efficiency. However, officials acknowledged that layoffs would not be immediate and could still face further legal or procedural delays. Two senior administration sources noted that additional lawsuits, union opposition, or congressional interventions might slow down the implementation of the cuts.
Trump’s reorganization campaign is being led by billionaire Elon Musk, who was appointed as head of the newly created Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE).
Musk and his team, many of whom are young tech industry professionals, rapidly moved into leadership roles across agencies, dismissing employees and gaining control of internal systems. Within weeks, they had effectively shut down the U.S. Agency for International Development and the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau.
The restructuring effort has already led to significant workforce reductions. As of late April, roughly 260,000 civil servants had either been fired, resigned, or opted for early retirement, according to internal government tallies.
Critics say the process has been chaotic, with vital services—including Social Security claims and veterans’ healthcare—reportedly suffering delays and disruptions. Unions, civil rights groups, and local governments have vowed to continue challenging the administration’s approach in court.
Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson was the only member of the nine-judge panel to publicly dissent from the decision. In her dissenting opinion, she criticized what she called the Court’s growing tendency to approve the president’s controversial actions without thorough judicial review, referring to the use of the “shadow docket” for emergency rulings.
Meanwhile, a Reuters/Ipsos poll conducted in April showed that public opinion on Trump’s government downsizing agenda is sharply divided along partisan lines. Approximately 56% of Americans supported the initiative, while 40% opposed it. Among Republicans, support reached 89%, compared to just 26% among Democrats.
Despite the court’s green light, the long-term impact of the mass layoffs remains uncertain. While agencies like the State Department have indicated they will move forward with pending cuts—nearly 2,000 layoffs in their case—ongoing legal battles and mounting political resistance could still reshape or delay the implementation of Trump’s federal overhaul.
