The U.S. Supreme Court on Tuesday gave the green light to President Donald Trump’s sweeping plan to shrink the federal workforce, lifting multiple lower court injunctions that had temporarily halted the controversial effort.
The decision allows the Trump administration to move forward with mass layoffs and departmental restructuring, despite widespread warnings that the move could disrupt vital government services and put hundreds of thousands of jobs at risk.
In an unsigned order, the court overturned lower rulings that had blocked the plan—spearheaded by the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE)—from being implemented. The justices clarified they were not ruling on any specific personnel cuts, but on the legality of Trump’s executive order and the subsequent directive mandating federal agencies to conduct significant staff reductions.
Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson was the lone dissenter, criticizing the majority for what she called a “demonstrated enthusiasm for greenlighting this President’s legally dubious actions in an emergency posture.”
Musk-Led Overhaul Advances
President Trump, who has long vowed to “drain the swamp” in Washington, claims the public has given him a mandate to overhaul the federal government. He entrusted the project to billionaire Elon Musk, who led DOGE until recently.
Since the rollout of Trump’s February directive, tens of thousands of federal workers have been terminated, placed on administrative leave, or enrolled in deferred resignation programs.
Though the administration hasn’t released an exact figure, internal sources say over 75,000 federal employees have opted for deferred resignation so far. Thousands more—particularly probationary employees—have already been let go.
Legal Battles and Fallout
In May, U.S. District Judge Susan Illston blocked the cuts, ruling that such sweeping changes to the federal workforce required congressional approval. Her ruling was upheld by the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals, which warned that the downsizing could severely impair essential government functions, such as food safety, veterans’ healthcare, and national security operations.
Illston also issued a freeze on the implementation of both Trump’s executive order and the follow-up memorandum issued by DOGE and the Office of Personnel Management. Illston was appointed by former President Bill Clinton.
Labor unions and advocacy groups who brought the case forward argued that the layoffs could slash staff levels by 40–50% in several key departments, a claim the administration has not refuted.
Agencies Affected
The planned reductions will hit a wide array of federal departments and agencies, including:
- Department of Agriculture
- Department of Energy
- Department of Labor
- Department of the Interior
- Department of State
- Department of the Treasury
- Department of Veterans Affairs
- Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)
- Social Security Administration (SSA)
- Small Business Administration (SBA)
- National Science Foundation (NSF)
What Comes Next?
With the Supreme Court lifting the final legal barrier, federal agencies are expected to accelerate their implementation of the downsizing plan in the coming weeks.
Critics say the cuts will severely damage public services and undermine morale across government institutions. Supporters argue the move is long overdue and will streamline bloated bureaucracy.
Despite the backlash, President Trump praised the court’s decision, calling it “a win for American taxpayers.” However, with tens of thousands of public servants already affected—and more at risk—the full impact of the ruling is only beginning to unfold.
