Federal Worker Ruling Sparks Outrage From White House

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A federal judge has ordered the Trump administration to rehire thousands of terminated federal workers, sparking outrage from the White House which vows to appeal what it calls an “absurd and unconstitutional” ruling.

Quick Takes

  • U.S. District Judge William Alsup ordered the reinstatement of thousands of federal employees fired in February, ruling the terminations violated federal regulations
  • The White House condemned the decision as an unconstitutional power grab by the judiciary, vowing to appeal immediately
  • The ruling affects workers from six major federal departments, including Veterans Affairs, Defense, and Treasury
  • Labor unions celebrated the decision as a victory for worker protections and government accountability
  • Judge Alsup accused the government of submitting false declarations and using “sham” performance-based terminations to bypass legal requirements

White House Slams “Unconstitutional” Judicial Overreach

The Trump administration has responded forcefully to a federal court ruling requiring it to rehire thousands of recently terminated federal employees. U.S. District Judge William Alsup, appointed during the Clinton administration, found that the terminations violated federal “Reduction in Force” procedures and ordered immediate reinstatement of the workers. The ruling affects employees from multiple departments, including Veterans Affairs, Defense, Energy, Interior, Agriculture, and Treasury, who were let go around February 13 as part of the administration’s efforts to reduce the size of government.

“A single judge is attempting to unconstitutionally seize the power of hiring and firing from the Executive Branch,” said White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt in a strongly worded statement condemning the ruling.

The Justice Department argued the firings were consistent with President Trump’s goal to streamline government operations. The White House has announced plans to appeal the decision, characterizing it as judicial overreach that infringes on executive authority.

Judge Accuses Administration of Deception

In his ruling, Judge Alsup delivered a scathing assessment of the government’s actions, accusing officials of misleading the court and attempting to circumvent established legal procedures for reducing the federal workforce. The judge specifically criticized the withdrawal of a declaration by Office of Personnel Management Acting Director Charles Ezell and ordered the deposition of OPM senior adviser Noah Peters. Alsup characterized the terminations as a deliberate attempt to bypass proper reduction-in-force protocols by disguising them as performance-based dismissals.

“The government, I believe, has tried to frustrate the judge’s ability to get at the truth of what happened here, and then set forth sham declarations,” said U.S. District Judge William Alsup.

The judge’s order prohibits the Office of Personnel Management from issuing guidance on employee termination and mandates further discovery to uncover the full extent of the administration’s actions. Alsup emphasized that any reduction in the federal workforce must strictly follow established legal processes, regardless of the administration’s policy goals.

Labor Unions Celebrate Victory for Worker Protections

The lawsuit challenging the terminations was brought by a coalition of labor unions, including the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees (AFSCME) and the American Federation of Government Employees. Union leaders have praised the court’s decision as a crucial affirmation of federal worker protections and the rule of law. Many of the terminated employees were probationary workers, typically newer employees or those recently promoted, with veterans comprising about 30% of those affected. Union representatives noted that many terminated employees had received positive performance feedback before their dismissal.

“Public service workers are the backbone of our communities in every way. Today, we are proud to celebrate the court’s decision which orders that fired federal employees must be reinstated and reinforces they cannot be fired without reason,” said AFSCME President Lee Saunders.

Everett Kelley, National President of the American Federation of Government Employees, expressed similar support for the ruling, vowing to continue fighting until all unjustly terminated federal employees are reinstated. The judge’s decision follows an earlier temporary restraining order in the case, which had already signaled the court’s concerns about the legality of the administration’s approach to workforce reduction.

Sources:

  1. White House slams judge for ordering Trump admin to rehire thousands of federal workers: ‘Absurd and unconstitutional’
  2. Judge orders thousands of federal workers reinstated; slams ‘sham’ government declaration – ABC News
  3. Thousands of fired federal workers must be offered reinstatement, a judge rules

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