The U.S. judge rejected a request to temporarily block Elon Musk and his government’s Department of Efficiency (DOGE) from firing federal employees and accessing agency data and handed over the victory to President Donald Trump, to reduce government labor.
Fourteen Democratic countries filed lawsuits, challenging Musk’s legal authority, but District Court Judge Tanya Chutkan denied their urgent request for a temporary restraining order.
Keuken ruled: “The plaintiffs did not bear the impending, irreparable harm that they would suffer from the temporary restraining order.”
Doge, an agency overseen by Musk, has been actively cutting government spending, resulting in the closure of some federal agencies and large-scale layoffs. The billionaire, Trump’s largest donor, played a major role in the administration, pioneering efforts to cut hundreds of billions of dollars in government spending.
States argued in the lawsuit that Musk and Doch lacked legal powers to point out that Musk was not formally nominated by the president or confirmed by the Senate. They accused him of exerting “little-free power to be inspected” on government actions, including spending, contracts, regulations, and even the removal of federal agencies. They also gained attention from access to Doge’s sensitive government data and technology infrastructure.
The lawsuit aims to prevent Doge from obtaining data from key federal departments, including education, labor, health and public services, energy, transportation and commerce, and termination of any of its employees.
Chutkan acknowledged in her ruling that the uncertainty arising from the doorman’s actions, but said: “The defendant may take action inevitably to harm the plaintiff’s inadequate action to justify the efforts to stop Musk.
Musk’s massive cost-cutting measures have sparked a nationwide legal battle. Last week, another federal judge lifted a temporary freeze on a massive acquisition plan that encourages government workers to leave voluntarily in exchange for eight months’ salary. Musk initiated an acquisition aimed at reducing the federal labor force. According to the White House, more than 75,000 employees accepted the offer.
Trump’s executive action has faced several legal challenges, with critics accusing over-management. In turn, the White House accused the “Judges in the Free Zone” of trying to hinder the president’s agenda.
Former Democratic President Barack Obama’s appointment Chutkan has previously chaired a Trump case linked to 2020 election interference charges.
