In a dramatic legal twist, a judge has temporarily blocked President Donald Trump’s plans to put 2,200 employees of the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) on paid leave, hours before the action was set to take effect.
The ruling came after a last-minute lawsuit filed by two unions, which fought to preserve the agency’s workforce.
Judge Carl Nichols issued a “limited” temporary restraining order, halting the planned leave and reinstating the 500 staff members already placed on administrative leave.
The order is set to remain in effect until February 14 at midnight, offering a brief reprieve for the workers caught in the crossfire of Trump’s push to downsize federal agencies.
Trump has long argued that USAID, which serves as the U.S.’s primary overseas aid agency, is an inefficient use of taxpayer money. As part of his broader effort to slash government spending, he has proposed cutting nearly 10,000 USAID positions, leaving only 611 employees in place.
The agency’s vital work, including global health initiatives, has made it the largest international aid donor in the world, with two-thirds of its staff stationed abroad.
The planned move to furlough 2,200 workers, due to begin Friday at midnight (05:00 GMT), was met with fierce opposition.
Unions argued that the cuts were unconstitutional and would inflict lasting harm on both the workers and the global programs they support.
Judge Nichols agreed with the unions’ concerns, stating that they would face “irreparable harm” if the court did not intervene. He ruled that halting the action would not harm the government, while allowing the layoffs to proceed would cause significant damage to the employees and their livelihoods.
The judge’s decision also ordered the immediate reinstatement of the 500 employees who had already been placed on administrative leave.
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Those workers will regain access to email, payments, and security systems during the temporary hold, and no additional employees can be placed on leave until the court’s ruling expires.
The court will hear further arguments on the issue on Wednesday, as officials at USAID, including those at the agency’s headquarters in Washington, scrambled to remove signage and prepare for the judge’s order.
The fate of the remaining 7,800 employees remains uncertain.
Trump’s push to reduce the size and scope of federal agencies has garnered significant attention, with USAID among the largest targets. His administration’s efforts to curb government spending have also involved the creation of the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), spearheaded by tech mogul Elon Musk.
The proposed cuts to USAID come as part of a broader campaign to overhaul U.S. government operations, but the latest court decision has temporarily stalled those ambitions.
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