Politics

NEW: Obama-Appointed Judge Orders DOGE To Restore USAID Operations

Published

3 days ago

March 18, 2025

A federal judge appointed by Barack Obama has stepped in to block Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) from dismantling the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), effectively overriding the Trump administration’s push to reduce the bloated agency.

U.S. District Judge Theodore Chuang issued a ruling Tuesday, claiming that Musk’s cost-cutting measures likely violated the Constitution in “multiple ways.” In his injunction, Chuang ordered Musk and DOGE officials to restore access to USAID’s computer systems, halt further staff reductions, and refrain from interfering with the agency’s operations per Politico.

Chuang’s 68-page ruling argued that Musk and DOGE “effectively eliminated” USAID, leaving it unable to perform its legally required functions—though the judge did acknowledge that Trump administration officials could still implement drastic cuts if done through official channels.

“If a president could escape Appointments Clause scrutiny by having advisors go beyond the traditional role of White House advisers who communicate the president’s priorities to agency heads and instead exercise significant authority throughout the federal government so as to bypass duly appointed officers, the Appointments Clause would be reduced to nothing more than a technical formality,” the judge wrote.

“For the foregoing reasons, the Court finds that Defendants’ actions, taken to shut down USAID on an accelerated basis—including its apparent decision to permanently close USAID headquarters without the approval of a duly appointed USAID officer—likely violated the United States Constitution in multiple ways,” Chuang continued.

Elon Musk delivers remarks as he joins U.S. President Donald Trump during an executive order signing in the Oval Office at the White House on February 11, 2025 in Washington, DC.

“These actions harmed not only Plaintiffs but also the public interest because they deprived the public’s elected representatives in Congress of their constitutional authority to decide whether, when, and how to close down an agency created by Congress.”

“Accordingly, the Motion for a Preliminary Injunction will be GRANTED IN PART and DENIED IN PART. The Motion will be granted in that the Court will issue the accompanying Preliminary Injunction. The Motion will be otherwise denied. A separate Order shall issue,” he concluded.

Despite the ruling, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, who is currently overseeing USAID, could still reissue orders to significantly downsize the agency. The ruling only blocks Musk and DOGE personnel from leading the charge—raising questions about whether this was truly a constitutional issue or simply a case of judicial overreach.

White House spokesperson Anna Kelly announced that the administration would appeal the decision, condemning it as a “miscarriage of justice.”

“Rogue judges are subverting the will of the American people in their attempts to stop President Trump from carrying out his agenda,” she said in a statement per The Hill. “If these Judges want to force their partisan ideologies across the government, they should run for office themselves.”

Through 2025, Musk, under President Trump’s administration, initiated actions to dismantle USAID. This involved firing employees, ceasing global programs, and shutting down the agency’s digital presence. Musk described USAID as “beyond repair,” labeling it a “criminal organization.”