U.S. Appeals Court Clears Way for Trump to Fire Thousands of Federal Workers

What Happened?

A federal appeals court cleared the way Wednesday for thousands of probationary workers to be laid off by the Trump administration.

The decision halts a judge’s order in Maryland that required the workers who live and work in 19 states and Washington, D.C. to be reinstated.

In a 2-1 order, the 4th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals found that the workers let go in the Trump administration's mass firings must appeal the dismissals through a separate process.

The court ruled the judge likely lacked the power to order probationary government employees to be reinstated.

Judge James Bredar of the U.S. District Court for the District of Maryland directed 18 agencies back in March to temporarily rehire thousands of terminated employees.

The agencies had previously argued in court filings that most of the laid-off workers were offered reinstatements but were temporarily placed on paid leave rather than returned to work.

Wednesday's decision marks another significant win for the Trump administration in its effort to shrink the federal workforce.

Why it Matters

This announcement comes a day after the Supreme Court halted a federal judge's ruling that required several agencies to reinstate roughly 16,000 probationary workers.

In a 7-2 vote, the higher court granted the Trump administration's request in an unsigned opinion to proceed with the mass terminations.

The court said in its order that the nine labor unions and nonprofit groups had also lacked standing in the case brought up in California.

As a result, the federal government doesn't have to take steps to bring back workers laid off while legal actions move forward.

This ruling comes a day after the higher court ruled in the White House’s favor to allow the continued deportation of alleged Venezuelan gang members.

Justice Department lawyers have tied most of the firings to poor performance that dismissed employees have strongly disputed.

Federal agencies terminated roughly 25,000 probationary employees in mid-February to identify probationary workers who were deemed nonessential.

The motives were part of a broader effort by Trump and his advisor Elon Musk to slash government spending and drastically shrink the federal bureaucracy.

How it Affects You

The states could reportedly still seek further review as the lawsuit continues to play out.

Roughly 15,000 workers have been reinstated to full duty or paid leave under judicial order, according to court documents.

White House officials argue that the states still have no right to influence the federal government’s relationship with its own workers.

It’s unclear if these verdicts signal more mass cuts to come.