Federal judges in California and Maryland issued rulings on Thursday ordering the Trump administration to reinstate thousands of probationary federal workers who were terminated as part of mass layoffs across 19 government agencies. The decisions mark a significant setback for President Donald Trump and his top adviser, Elon Musk, in their efforts to drastically reduce the size of the federal bureaucracy. Government agencies face a Thursday deadline to submit plans for a second wave of layoffs and budget cuts.
Both judges ruled that the terminated employees must be temporarily reinstated. The rulings come as the administration pushes forward with its aggressive campaign to shrink the federal workforce, which numbered approximately 2.3 million employees when Trump took office in January.
Judge Bredar’s Ruling: A Blow to Mass Firings
In Maryland, U.S. District Judge James Bredar ruled that 18 agencies violated federal regulations by conducting mass layoffs of probationary employees. Bredar, an appointee of former Democratic President Barack Obama, ordered the reinstatement of workers at agencies including the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB), and the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID). These agencies have been primary targets of Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), which has spearheaded the administration’s efforts to streamline federal operations.
Bredar’s decision also applies to several other departments, including Agriculture, Commerce, Education, Energy, Health and Human Services, Homeland Security, Housing and Urban Development, Interior, Labor, Transportation, Treasury, and Veterans Affairs. In his ruling, Bredar emphasized that the scale of the layoffs—conducted over just a few days—undermined any argument that the terminations were based on individual employee performance or conduct.
Judge Alsup’s Decision: A Rebuke of Improper Practices
Hours earlier, U.S. District Judge William Alsup in San Francisco ordered the reinstatement of probationary employees at six agencies, including the Department of Defense, which was not covered by Bredar’s ruling. Alsup, an appointee of former Democratic President Bill Clinton, criticized the U.S. Office of Personnel Management (OPM) for improperly directing agencies to carry out mass firings without the authority to do so.
“It is a sad day when our government would fire some good employee and say it was based on performance when they know good and well that’s a lie,” Alsup said during the hearing. He acknowledged the government’s right to reduce federal staffing levels but stressed that such actions must be carried out lawfully and with proper justification.
White House Vows to Fight Back
Following Alsup’s decision, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt issued a statement vowing to challenge the rulings. “The President has the authority to exercise the power of the entire executive branch—singular district court judges cannot abuse the power of the entire judiciary to thwart the President’s agenda,” Leavitt said.
The administration’s push to shrink the federal workforce has drawn sharp criticism from Democratic-led states, which filed a lawsuit last week challenging the firings. According to the plaintiffs, at least 24,000 probationary workers have been terminated since Trump returned to office. These employees, who have limited grounds to contest their dismissals, were the primary focus of the first wave of layoffs.
The rulings represent a significant legal hurdle for the Trump administration’s efforts to reduce the size of the federal government, setting the stage for a protracted legal battle over the scope of executive authority and the rights of federal workers.