Trump Action Archive

Supporting reports

• Utah Governor Spencer Cox signs bill expanding state supreme court from five to seven justices — In late January 2026, Utah's Republican-controlled legislature passed legislation adding two seats to the state's supreme court. Governor Spencer Cox quickly signed the bill into law, expanding the court from five to seven justices. Critics argue the move amounts to court-packing aimed at blunting the impact of judicial rulings related to Proposition 4, the anti-gerrymandering law.

Supporting reports

• White House takes control of Justice Department X account — The White House took over the X account of the Justice Department on December 23. On the same day, that account posted a message claiming that accusations in the Epstein files are "unfounded and false."
• Trump White House assumed control of DOJ social media accounts — Following bizarre exchanges on the DOJ's official social media account, reporting from Axios revealed that the Trump White House has assumed direct control over the Department of Justice's social media accounts. The article notes this explains the unprofessional tone of the exchanges and raises concerns about the politicization of the Justice Department.

Supporting reports

• Judge Susan Illston grants temporary restraining order blocking Trump's mass layoffs during government shutdown — On Wednesday (October 15, 2025), Judge Susan Illston of the US District Court's Northern District of California granted a temporary restraining order blocking Trump's latest mass layoffs from the government shutdown. The order represents a significant legal victory for unions battling the administration's workforce reduction efforts.
• Federal court rules Trump's federal worker layoffs during shutdown illegal — A federal court in San Francisco ruled that Trump's layoffs of federal workers during the government shutdown were illegal. The ruling represented a judicial check on executive action during the shutdown.
• Federal judge temporarily blocked firing of federal employees during shutdown — A federal judge temporarily blocked the Trump administration from firing federal employees during the government shutdown, saying the move appeared to be politically motivated and adding, "It's a human cost that cannot be tolerated."
• Federal judge issues temporary injunction blocking federal worker layoffs — A federal judge on October 16, 2025, issued a temporary injunction blocking the Trump administration's layoffs of more than 4,000 federal workers. The injunction halted the firings, though the administration signaled that additional cuts were planned and that the current layoffs represented only a partial reduction in the workforce.
• Judge Illston grants temporary injunction blocking Trump administration federal employee firings during shutdown — Federal Judge Susan Illston of the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California issued a temporary restraining order blocking the Trump administration's mass firings of federal employees during the government shutdown. The ruling came in response to a lawsuit filed by labor unions (AFGE and AFSCME) alleging that the Office of Management and Budget and Office of Personnel Management violated law by threatening and executing reductions in force during the shutdown. Judge Illston found evidence that OMB and OPM "took advantage of the lapse in government spending" and acted "arbitrarily and capriciously" in excess of authority.
• Trump administration lays off 4,000 federal workers; federal judge issues temporary injunction — The Trump administration laid off more than 4,000 federal government workers during the shutdown. On October 16, 2025, a federal judge issued a temporary injunction blocking the firings. The Office of Management and Budget director, Russ Vought, stated that the 4,000 layoffs were merely a "snapshot" and that the total number could exceed 10,000. The administration indicated further cuts were expected.

Supporting reports

• Trump appoints former lawyer Halligan as US attorney for Eastern District of Virginia, pressures Bondi to investigate political enemies — Donald Trump announced the appointment of Lindsey Halligan, his former lawyer and special assistant, as US attorney for the eastern district of Virginia, replacing experienced prosecutor Erik Siebert. In public posts on Truth Social, Trump explicitly pressured Attorney General Pam Bondi to pursue investigations of political enemies, including New York Attorney General Letitia James and former FBI Director James Comey, citing his own impeachments and indictments as justification for "justice" to be "served now."

Supporting reports

• Trump appoints Lindsay Halligan as U.S. Attorney for Eastern District of Maryland — On September 20, 2025, the day after Erik Seibert's resignation, President Trump appointed Lindsay Halligan, a White House aide with no experience as a prosecutor, to replace Seibert as U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Maryland. The legality of Halligan's appointment is being challenged in court.
• Trump fired US Attorney and appointed personal lawyer Lindsey Halligan — Trump fired the US Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, citing insufficient evidence to indict NY AG Letitia James for mortgage fraud. He then appointed Lindsey Halligan, one of his former personal attorneys with no criminal law experience, to replace him. Trump stated Halligan had "worked with me for a long time" and "stood up for my rights during the Unconstitutional and UnAmerican raid on my home, Mar-a-Lago."
• Trump fires US Attorney Erik Siebert, replaces with inexperienced personal attorney — US Attorney Erik Siebert resigned from the Eastern District of Virginia after pressure to issue criminal charges against New York Attorney General Letitia James and former FBI Director James Comey. Attorney General Pam Bondi initially appointed Mary Cleary as acting US attorney, but Trump revoked that nomination the same evening and elevated Lindsey Halligan, his former White House assistant and personal attorney with no prosecutorial experience, to the position. Halligan's career has focused on insurance matters in Florida, with federal case filings limited to Trump-related matters.
• Trump appoints former lawyer Halligan as US attorney for Eastern District of Virginia, pressures Bondi to investigate political enemies — Donald Trump announced the appointment of Lindsey Halligan, his former lawyer and special assistant, as US attorney for the eastern district of Virginia, replacing experienced prosecutor Erik Siebert. In public posts on Truth Social, Trump explicitly pressured Attorney General Pam Bondi to pursue investigations of political enemies, including New York Attorney General Letitia James and former FBI Director James Comey, citing his own impeachments and indictments as justification for "justice" to be "served now."
• Erik Siebert removed as US Attorney for Eastern District of Virginia — Trump removed Erik Siebert as US Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia on Friday, creating confusion among the office's 300+ attorneys and staff. Siebert's chief deputy, who normally would have succeeded him, was also demoted. Trump appointed Lindsey Halligan, a White House adviser and former personal lawyer with insurance law background and no prosecutorial experience, as Siebert's replacement. Prosecutors expressed concern about Halligan's ability to handle sensitive investigations including those into James Comey and Letitia James.
• Trump removes US attorney and appoints White House aide with no prosecutorial experience as interim replacement — Donald Trump removed Erik Siebert, the US attorney for the eastern district of Virginia, after Siebert declined to bring charges against former FBI director James Comey and New York attorney general Letitia James despite Trump's demands. Trump then appointed Lindsey Halligan, a White House aide with no prosecutorial experience and the most junior lawyer on his personal legal team, as interim US attorney. Halligan was sworn in by Attorney General Pam Bondi. The move alarmed prosecutors about political pressure to indict Trump's political enemies regardless of evidence strength.
• Trump replaces acting U.S. attorney with White House aide and former personal lawyer — President Trump replaced acting U.S. attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia Erik Siebert, a career prosecutor, with White House aide and Trump's former personal lawyer Lindsey Halligan. The replacement occurred after Siebert concluded there was insufficient evidence to charge former FBI director James Comey for allegedly lying to Congress or New York attorney general Letitia James for alleged mortgage fraud. Trump had exploded at Siebert over the weekend over these prosecutorial decisions.
• Lindsey Halligan sworn in as interim US attorney for Eastern District of Virginia — Lindsey Halligan, a White House aide with no prosecutorial experience, was sworn in as the interim US attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia. This appointment followed the removal of her predecessor, Erik Siebert, by Donald Trump after Siebert declined to bring charges against former FBI director James Comey and New York attorney general Letitia James. Halligan's appointment has raised concerns among current and former prosecutors about potential political pressure to indict Trump's political adversaries without sufficient evidence. Trump is expected to nominate Halligan for a full term in the Senate.
• Trump appointed Halligan as interim U.S. Attorney despite lack of federal prosecution experience — On September 23, 2025, President Trump appointed Lindsey Halligan, a 36-year-old insurance lawyer with no federal criminal prosecution experience, as interim U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia. Halligan had previously served on Trump's legal team defending him against classified documents charges and suing CNN on his behalf. According to the article, Trump appointed Halligan specifically because he was "desperate to find someone to indict former FBI Director James Comey and other political enemies."
• Lindsey Halligan appointed as U.S. attorney for Eastern District of Virginia — White House aide and Trump's former personal lawyer Lindsey Halligan, who leads the administration's review of Smithsonian Institution museum exhibits, was appointed to replace Erik Siebert as acting U.S. attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia. Halligan has no experience as a prosecutor.
• Trump removed U.S. Attorney Erik Siebert from Eastern District of Virginia — President Trump forced Erik Siebert, the U.S. attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, from his post after Siebert raised concerns about potentially charging former FBI Director James Comey and other perceived enemies of the president. Trump then installed Lindsey Halligan, one of his former personal attorneys with minimal prosecutorial experience, as temporary U.S. attorney in Siebert's place. This removal enabled the subsequent indictment of Comey by a politically loyal prosecutor.
• Lindsey Halligan appointed as US Attorney despite lack of prosecutorial experience — Lindsey Halligan, age 36, was appointed as US Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia—one of the most significant prosecutorial offices in the country—despite having no experience as a prosecutor at any level. Her career included only three federal cases, all while serving as one of Trump's personal attorneys. She previously worked as an insurance lawyer in Florida. Under federal law, she can serve as interim US Attorney for only 120 days unless extended by federal judges or confirmed by the Senate.
• Trump forces out previous US Attorney Erik Siebert for refusing to prosecute political opponents — Fortune reported that newly appointed US Attorney Lindsey Halligan replaced Erik Siebert, whom Trump forced out for refusing to pursue charges against New York Attorney General Letitia James and former FBI Director James Comey. Halligan, age 36, has never prosecuted a case at any level and has participated in only three federal cases while serving as one of Trump's personal attorneys. Siebert, by contrast, was listed as an attorney on 675 federal cases during his prosecutorial career.

Supporting reports

• DOJ extends Bill Essayli's term as interim U.S. attorney for Los Angeles — The DOJ extended the tenure of Bill Essayli as temporary U.S. attorney for Los Angeles. Essayli, a former assistant U.S. attorney and twice-elected Republican California assemblyman, has used his position to carry out Trump's mass deportations and the president's response to protests and civil unrest in the Los Angeles area. He has charged labor leaders and pursued cases aligned with Trump's political agenda despite warnings of insufficient evidence.
• DOJ extends John Sarcone's term as interim U.S. attorney for Northern District of New York — John Sarcone III's term as interim U.S. attorney for the Northern District of New York was set to expire in July 2025 after federal judges declined to permanently appoint him. Days after judges rejected him, the DOJ redesignated his title and named him as a special attorney, extending his tenure. Sarcone, a former Trump campaign attorney with no prior prosecutorial experience, had used his four-month interim role to publicly denounce Albany Police Department leadership, feud with local journalists, and criticize former President Biden's immigration policies. He also publicly confirmed a DOJ probe into New York Attorney General Letitia James, one of Trump's foremost political adversaries.
• DOJ extends Sigal Chattah's term as interim U.S. attorney for Nevada — The DOJ extended the tenure of Sigal Chattah as temporary U.S. attorney for Nevada before courts could weigh in on her permanent appointment. Hundreds of federal and state judges had asked courts to reject Chattah's permanent appointment based on her long history of racially charged and violence-tinged statements against political opponents and elected officials. Chattah, a former Republican National Committee member, has shown partisan bias while in her temporary role, targeting Nevada's Democratic U.S. senators Catherine Cortez-Masto and Jacky Rosen.

Supporting reports

• White House issues fact sheet on new "Schedule G" federal employee classification — The White House issued a fact sheet on July 17, 2025, describing a new executive order signed by President Trump creating "Schedule G," a non-career federal employee classification. The order amends Civil Service Rule VI to establish positions for employees engaged in policy-making or policy-advocating work. Schedule G employees are designated as non-career, expected to leave office when the appointing President departs. The fact sheet states the classification aims to enhance government efficiency, accountability, and implementation of Administration policy, and claims it fills a gap in existing federal hiring categories.
• White House signed Executive Order 14317 creating Schedule G in the excepted service for federal employment — President Trump signed Executive Order 14317 on July 17, 2025, establishing Schedule G within the excepted service to classify noncareer federal positions of a "policy-making or policy-advocating character" as exempt from competitive civil service requirements. The order amends 5 CFR 6.2 and 6.4 to add Schedule G alongside existing excepted service schedules (A, B, C, D, E, Policy/Career). The order states that Schedule G positions are "normally subject to change as a result of a Presidential transition" and directs the Office of Personnel Management to adopt implementing regulations. It specifies that the Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall consider whether appointees would be "suitable exponents of the President's policies" but shall not consider political affiliation or activity.
• Trump signs Executive Order 14317 establishing Schedule G in excepted civil service for policy-making and policy-advocating positions. — President Trump signed Executive Order 14317 on July 17, 2025, creating Schedule G within the excepted service of the federal civil service. Schedule G permits noncareer appointments to positions of a policy-making or policy-advocating character that are normally subject to change upon Presidential transition. The order amends Civil Service Rule VI and 5 CFR 6.2 and 6.4 to establish this new schedule. The Secretary of Veterans Affairs is directed to consider appointees' suitability as exponents of the President's policies while disregarding political affiliation or activity. The Director of OPM shall adopt implementing regulations.
• Trump issued executive order creating Schedule G in the excepted service for noncareer policy-making and policy-advocating positions — President Trump signed an executive order on July 17, 2025, establishing Schedule G within the federal excepted service. This new schedule permits noncareer appointments to positions of a policy-making or policy-advocating character that are normally subject to change upon presidential transition. The order amends Civil Service Rule VI and exempts Schedule G positions from standard civil service removal protections, allowing the administration to appoint and remove personnel without competitive examination or standard procedural safeguards.
• Trump signs executive order creating Schedule G federal worker classification for at-will political appointees — On Thursday, Trump signed an executive order establishing Schedule G, a new classification of federal employees subject to presidential hiring and firing without civil service protections. The order targets policy-level positions across agencies, particularly the Department of Veterans Affairs, and is framed as streamlining appointments and dismantling the "deep state." The classification mirrors Schedule C (temporary policy employees) and complements Schedule F, which strips civil service protections from career federal workers. Critics argue it further politicizes the federal workforce and undermines nonpartisan government service.

Supporting reports

• Supreme Court ruled Trump can proceed with federal workforce reduction — The Supreme Court ruled that Trump can proceed with his plan to reduce the federal workforce through mass layoffs. In her dissent, Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson panned the ruling, writing, "This was the wrong decision at the wrong moment, especially given what little this Court knows about what is actually happening on the ground."
• US Supreme Court lifts stay on Trump federal workforce reductions — The US Supreme Court issued an unsigned order on Tuesday lifting a lower court freeze on Trump administration "reductions in force" (mass federal layoffs). The decision reversed San Francisco District Judge Susan Illston's 22 May ruling that had blocked agencies from carrying out mass layoffs and ordered reinstatement of fired workers. The Court found Trump's executive order and implementing memorandum "likely to succeed" on lawfulness grounds. Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson dissented, warning the decision would result in hundreds of thousands of job losses across agriculture, commerce, health, state, treasury, veterans affairs, and other agencies.
• Preliminary injunction ruling — American Federation Of Government Employees, AFL-CIO v. Trump (N.D. Cal.) 3:25-cv-03698 — In an 8-1 decision, the Supreme Court stayed a preliminary injunction which had blocked the administration from implementing widespread Reduction in Forces (RIFs) and agency reorganizations across 22 agencies. The majority noted that the Executive Order 14210 and related memorandum are likely to be lawful, and found the district court had based its injunction on those directives rather than individual agency plans. They declined to opine as to whether any specific RIFs or reorganization plans may be lawful. Justice Sotomayor concurred to emphasize that the lower court may still review individual agency plans on a case-by-case basis. Justice Jackson dissented.
• Supreme Court stays preliminary injunction in case challenging Trump's executive order — On July 8, 2025, the Supreme Court granted a stay on a preliminary injunction that had been issued by the United States District Court for the Northern District of California. The injunction had temporarily blocked the implementation of President Donald Trump's executive order titled "Department of Government Efficiency" Workforce Optimization Initiative, which aimed to enact a hiring freeze and large-scale reductions in force across federal agencies. The Supreme Court's decision allows the federal government to proceed with the order while the legal challenge continues. Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson dissented in the 8-1 decision.
• Supreme Court stays preliminary injunction on Trump's workforce optimization order — On July 8, 2025, the Supreme Court granted a stay on a preliminary injunction that had been issued by the United States District Court for the Northern District of California. The injunction had temporarily blocked the implementation of President Donald Trump's executive order titled "Department of Government Efficiency" Workforce Optimization Initiative, which aimed to enforce a hiring freeze and large-scale reductions in force across federal agencies. The Supreme Court's decision allows the federal government to proceed with the order while the legal challenge continues. Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson dissented in the 8-1 decision.
• Supreme Court Grants Stay in Trump v. American Federation of Government Employees — On July 8, 2025, the Supreme Court granted the federal government's request for a stay in the case of Donald J. Trump, President of the United States, et al. v. American Federation of Government Employees, et al. This decision allows the Trump administration to proceed with implementing an executive order that enacts a hiring freeze and large-scale reductions in force across federal agencies. The order had been previously blocked by a preliminary injunction issued by Judge Susan Illston of the United States District Court for the Northern District of California. The Supreme Court's decision was made in an 8-1 vote, with Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson dissenting.

Supporting reports

• DOJ leader allegedly suggested defying court orders on deportations — Emil Bove, the Department of Justice's principal associate deputy attorney general and Trump nominee for the US Court of Appeals, reportedly told staff the department "would need to consider telling the courts 'fuck you'" regarding orders blocking deportations of undocumented people. Former DOJ attorney Erez Reuveni, in a whistleblower letter to Congress, alleged Bove made these comments in mid-March during discussions about invoking the Alien Enemies Act. Reuveni further claimed he witnessed DOJ officials systematically undermining court orders through lack of candor, deliberate delay, and disinformation, and that he was fired on April 11 after refusing to misrepresent facts in court filings.
• DOJ official Emil Bove stated DOJ would ignore court orders on deportations — DOJ lawyer Erez Reuveni, who was subsequently fired, came forward as a whistleblower to Congress and the DOJ inspector general. Reuveni stated that senior DOJ official Emil Bove announced plans to invoke the Alien Enemies Act for swift deportations and, when asked about potential judicial intervention, said the DOJ might have to tell courts "fuck you" and proceed with deportations regardless of legal injunctions. Reuveni reported that the statement was met with stunned silence among senior DOJ officials present.
• New York Times reported DOJ official Emil Bove told subordinates to ignore court orders — On June 24, the New York Times reported on a whistleblower complaint alleging that senior Justice Department official Emil Bove told his subordinates he would ignore court orders to further Trump's mass deportation efforts. Bove, who once served as Trump's criminal defense attorney and was recently nominated to serve as a federal appeals judge, later denied the comments during his confirmation hearing, saying "I have never advised a Department of Justice attorney to violate a court order."
• DOJ whistleblower Erez Reuveni filed complaint about defying court orders — On June 24, 2025, Erez Reuveni, a former Department of Justice lawyer, filed an official whistleblower complaint alleging that DOJ leaders and the White House deliberately defied court orders and "engaged in unlawful activity, abused their authority, created substantial and specific threat to health and safety." Reuveni was fired after telling a court that the administration had made an error when it rendered Maryland man Kilmar Abrego Garcia to CECOT despite a court order not to do so. In the complaint, Reuveni alleged that Emil Bove insisted planes carrying men to El Salvador must take off and said DOJ "would need to consider telling the courts 'f*ck you' and ignore any such court order."
• Bove fired DOJ prosecutors who investigated January 6 Capitol attack — Emil Bove issued a memo terminating dozens of DOJ prosecutors who had worked on cases related to the January 6, 2021 Capitol attack, characterizing their prosecutions as a "grave national injustice." Bove justified the firings by claiming the prosecutors had been hired as temporary employees under the Biden administration and converted to permanent status, and that they were preventing a particular U.S. attorney from fully staffing his office. The terminations were carried out in furtherance of a Trump executive order.
• Whistleblower complaint filed alleging DOJ official directed defiance of court orders — Former DOJ attorney Erez Reuveni filed a whistleblower complaint alleging that Emil Bove, principal associate deputy attorney general, instructed prosecutors to disregard judicial rulings against Trump's immigration policies. The complaint surfaced hours before Bove's Senate confirmation hearing for a federal appeals court judgeship. Bove denied the allegations under oath, stating he has "never advised a Department of Justice attorney to violate a court order."
• Emil Bove denies whistleblower allegations of directing DOJ staff to defy court orders on immigration — Emil Bove, principal associate deputy attorney general and Trump's nominee for federal appeals court judge, testified before the Senate Judiciary Committee on June 25, 2025, denying a whistleblower complaint filed by former DOJ attorney Erez Reuveni. Reuveni alleged Bove instructed prosecutors to tell courts "fuck you" when ruling against Trump's immigration policies. Bove also denied Democratic allegations that he dropped corruption charges against NYC Mayor Eric Adams to secure his cooperation with immigration enforcement. Republicans signaled support for his nomination while Democrats characterized him as weaponizing the DOJ against Trump's political opponents.

Supporting reports

• Supreme Court ruling on National Labor Relations Board firing — The U.S. Supreme Court upheld President Trump's firing of the head of the National Labor Relations Board, Gwynne Wilcox, affirming Congress's power to limit a president's ability to remove officials from independent agencies. This ruling reflects the court's conservative stance on executive power and its alignment with the unitary executive theory, which grants the president significant control over the executive branch.

Supporting reports

• White House issues fact sheet on new federal employee classification removing civil service protections — The White House Office of Personnel Management issued a fact sheet on April 18, 2025, announcing a proposed rule to create a new "Schedule Policy/Career" category for approximately 50,000 federal employees in policy-influencing roles. The fact sheet states these employees will become at-will workers without access to adverse action procedures or appeals, enabling agencies to remove them without lengthy procedural requirements. The rule implements an executive order titled "Restoring Accountability to Policy-Influencing Positions Within the Federal Workforce," reversing Biden-era protections.

Supporting reports

• Trump administration orders mass layoffs at Consumer Financial Protection Bureau — The Trump administration, through staff from Elon Musk's "Department of Government Efficiency," issued reduction-in-force letters terminating approximately 1,500 of the CFPB's 1,700 employees on April 17. The layoffs eliminated entire divisions including the office of servicemember affairs, office of older Americans, and office of fair lending. According to an employee declaration, the effort was managed by Gavin Kliger and staff were kept working 36 hours straight to ensure notices went out. Employees raised concerns about violations of court orders requiring "particularized assessment," but were told "all that mattered was the numbers."
• Federal judge bars Trump administration from rapid deportation policy — Federal Judge Brian Murphy on Friday barred the Trump administration from implementing a new policy that would allow it to rapidly deport hundreds or thousands of immigrants to countries other than their own without giving them an opportunity to demonstrate they face persecution, torture, or death. The ruling blocks a policy that would circumvent due process protections for asylum seekers and vulnerable migrants.
• Federal judge blocks mass layoffs at Consumer Financial Protection Bureau — Judge Amy Berman Jackson issued a ruling blocking the Trump administration's termination of approximately 1,500 of the CFPB's 1,700 employees, announced on Thursday via reduction-in-force letters. The layoffs, orchestrated by staff from Elon Musk's "Department of Government Efficiency," eliminated entire divisions including servicemember affairs, older Americans, and fair lending offices. The judge's order came after a federal appeals court had modified (but not eliminated) an earlier injunction limiting the agency's ability to terminate staff. The administration's compliance with the ruling remains unclear.

Supporting reports

• Senate confirmed John Dan Caine as chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff without required military service — The Senate confirmed Retired Air Force Lieutenant General John Dan Caine as chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff by a vote of 60–25 at approximately 2:00 a.m. eastern time. U.S. law requires the chairman to have served in one of five specific senior military positions; Caine held none of them. The president invoked a national-interest waiver to bypass the statutory requirement. Caine has 34 years of military experience but did not meet the legal prerequisites for the role.
• Senate confirms John Dan Caine as chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff — The Senate confirmed Retired Air Force Lieutenant General John Dan Caine as chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff by a vote of 60–25. Caine did not meet the usual qualifications for the position, but President Trump waived the requirement, raising concerns about the politicization of the military.

Supporting reports

• RFK Jr announces 10,000 job cuts and restructuring of HHS — Robert F Kennedy Jr, US Health Secretary, announced the elimination of approximately 10,000 jobs from the Department of Health and Human Services' 82,000-person workforce, combined with previous cuts bringing total losses to roughly 20,000 workers. The restructuring includes closing half of HHS's regional offices, consolidating 28 branches into 15 new divisions, and creating a new agency called the "administration for a healthy America." Specific cuts target the FDA (3,500 employees), CDC (2,400), NIH (1,200), and CMS (300). Kennedy characterized the cuts as streamlining bureaucracy and realigning the department with new priorities.
• Robert F Kennedy Jr announces 20,000 HHS layoffs — Health Secretary Robert F Kennedy Jr announced the Department of Health and Human Services will lay off approximately 20,000 workers—nearly 25% of its 82,000-person workforce—and consolidate 28 branches into 15. The cuts affect agencies including the CDC, NIH, CMS, and FDA. Health experts and Democratic senators warn the layoffs will impair pandemic preparedness and enable privatization of critical public health services, exacerbating health inequalities and undermining disease surveillance and emergency response capacity.
• HHS announces additional workforce reductions — The Department of Health and Human Services announced plans to cut 10,000 employees in addition to 10,000 who have already departed and more than 5,000 probationary workers fired in the previous month. The cuts include 3,500 full-time employees from the Food and Drug Administration and 2,400 employees from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, further degrading public health agency capacity.
• Trump administration implements workforce reductions across federal agencies — Internal White House documents obtained by the Washington Post detail planned employee cuts ranging from 8% to 50% across federal agencies. The Department of Housing and Urban Development faces a 50% workforce reduction, the Interior Department 25%, the IRS approximately one-third, the Justice Department 8%, the National Science Foundation 28%, the Commerce Department 30%, and the Small Business Administration 43%. These cuts follow earlier dismissals of approximately 20,000 IRS employees, particularly in enforcement divisions.
• Trump administration withholds federal funding from Columbia University over antisemitism concerns — The Trump administration withheld $400 million in federal grants from Columbia University, citing antisemitism concerns, until the university complied with administration demands. After Columbia's leadership agreed to changes, administration officials stated the modifications were only "early steps" and warned that other universities "should expect the same level of scrutiny and swiftness of action if they don't act to protect their students and stop anti-Semitic behavior on campus."

Supporting reports

• Trump signs Executive Order 14251 excluding federal agencies from labor-management relations coverage — President Trump signed Executive Order 14251 on March 27, 2025, excluding numerous federal agencies and subdivisions from coverage under the Federal Service Labor-Management Relations Statute (Chapter 71, Title 5, U.S.C.) and the Foreign Service Labor-Management Relations Statute (Subchapter X, Chapter 52, Title 22, U.S.C.). The order amends Executive Order 12171 and designates agencies including State, Defense, Treasury, Veterans Affairs, Justice, HHS, DHS, Interior, Energy, Agriculture, EPA, USAID, NRC, NSF, USITC, FCC, and GSA as having primary national security functions incompatible with collective bargaining. It delegates authority to the Secretaries of Defense, Veterans Affairs, and Transportation to issue further exclusions or suspensions. The order requires agency heads to reassign affected employees and terminate pending grievance proceedings upon collective bargaining agreement termination.
• Office of Personnel Management issues guidance implementing union elimination order — Following Trump's executive order, the Office of Personnel Management issued a memo providing guidance to federal departments and subdivisions on implementation, which includes terminating existing collective bargaining agreements and ending voluntary union dues collection through payroll systems. The directive applies across multiple agencies affecting hundreds of thousands of federal workers.
• Trump administration issues executive order stripping collective bargaining rights from federal workers — On 27 March, President Trump issued an executive order citing national security to exempt collective bargaining at several federal departments, affecting more than 1 million federal workers. The order was accompanied by lawsuits filed by the Trump administration against federal unions, including the American Federation of Government Employees and the National Treasury Employees Union, in Texas and Kentucky courts. Unions have filed motions to dismiss and counter-lawsuits, and bipartisan legislation has been introduced in the House to restore bargaining rights. A federal judge in Washington DC granted a preliminary injunction blocking the order on 25 April.
• Trump signs executive order eliminating collective bargaining for federal workers — President Trump signed an executive order on Thursday that attempts to eliminate collective bargaining rights for hundreds of thousands of federal workers across more than 30 agencies. The Office of Personnel Management issued guidance directing departments to terminate collective bargaining agreements and end voluntary union dues collection. The Trump administration subsequently filed a lawsuit in Texas court seeking declaratory relief to rescind or repudiate collective bargaining agreements, citing national security and personnel policy constraints. Union leaders representing approximately 1.2 million federal workers have condemned the order as union-busting and retaliatory, vowing immediate legal action.
• Trump issues executive order excluding major federal agencies from labor-management relations protections — President Trump signed an executive order on March 27, 2025, excluding numerous federal agencies and subdivisions from coverage under the Federal Service Labor-Management Relations Statute (Chapter 71, Title 5, U.S.C.) and the Foreign Service Labor-Management Relations Statute (Subchapter X, Chapter 52, Title 22, U.S.C.). The order designates State, Defense, Treasury, Veterans Affairs, Justice, HHS, DHS, Interior, Energy, Agriculture, Commerce, EPA, USAID, NRC, NSF, USITC, FCC, GSA, and other agencies as having primary national security functions, thereby removing collective bargaining protections from thousands of federal employees. Secretaries of Defense and Veterans Affairs retain limited authority to restore coverage for specific subdivisions if they certify national security compatibility; the Secretary of Transportation gains broad discretion to exclude DOT and FAA subdivisions.
• Trump signed Executive Order 14251 excluding major federal agencies from labor-management relations protections — President Trump signed Executive Order 14251 on March 27, 2025, excluding numerous federal agencies and subdivisions from coverage under the Federal Service Labor-Management Relations Statute (Chapter 71 of title 5, U.S.C.) and related foreign service labor protections. The order claims national security justification and removes collective bargaining rights from employees in the State Department, Defense Department, Treasury, Veterans Affairs, Justice Department, HHS (including CDC and FDA), DHS (including USCIS, ICE, and FEMA), Interior, Energy, Agriculture, Commerce, EPA, USAID, NRC, NSF, ITC, FCC, GSA, and numerous other agencies. The order delegates authority to the Secretaries of Defense, Veterans Affairs, and Transportation to issue further exclusions or suspensions.
• White House issues fact sheet on executive order exempting national security agencies from federal collective bargaining — The White House published a fact sheet on March 27, 2025, describing an executive order signed by President Trump that exempts agencies with national security missions from federal collective bargaining requirements under the Civil Service Reform Act of 1978. The order applies to specified components of the Department of Defense, Veterans Affairs, Department of Homeland Security, Department of State, Department of Energy, Department of Health and Human Services, Department of Justice, Department of Treasury, Department of Commerce, and other agencies. The fact sheet states the order aims to prevent union obstruction of agency management and policy implementation.
• Trump administration files lawsuit to rescind federal worker collective bargaining agreements — The Trump administration filed a lawsuit in a Texas court seeking declaratory relief to confirm its legal authority to rescind or repudiate collective bargaining agreements (CBAs) with federal workers. The lawsuit claims CBAs "significantly constrain" the executive branch and that rescinding them is necessary to protect national security and develop personnel policies otherwise precluded by the agreements. The filing seeks legal certainty before implementing the executive order's directive to eliminate collective bargaining.
• Department of Justice filed declaratory judgment lawsuit against American Federation of Government Employees affiliates — The Department of Justice announced it filed a lawsuit in the Western District of Texas on March 27, 2025, on behalf of eight federal agencies against locals, councils, and Division 10 of the American Federation of Government Employees. The suit seeks a declaratory judgment confirming the agencies' legal right to terminate collective bargaining agreements (CBAs) with the union. The filing followed a presidential Executive Order titled "Exclusions from Federal Labor-Management Relations Programs" that determined certain agencies performing investigative and national security work need not collectively bargain. The agencies argue CBAs impede national security missions and workforce accountability.

Supporting reports

• Trump appoints Alina Habba as interim U.S. attorney for District of New Jersey — On March 24, 2025, President Trump named Alina Habba, a former personal attorney and campaign spokesperson with no prosecutorial experience, as interim U.S. attorney for the District of New Jersey. Three days later, Habba stated in an interview with a far-right conspiracy theorist that she intended to use the traditionally nonpartisan role to influence New Jersey's political alignment toward Republicans. By end of May, she had opened investigations into Democratic Gov. Phil Murphy and state Attorney General Matt Platkin and brought charges against Democratic Newark Mayor Ras Baraka and Rep. LaMonica McIver.
• Trump appointed Alina Habba as interim U.S. Attorney for District of New Jersey — President Trump announced that Alina Habba, currently serving as Counselor to the President and Trump's long-time personal attorney, will serve as interim U.S. Attorney for the District of New Jersey, effective immediately. The previous U.S. Attorney for New Jersey was reassigned to serve as Ambassador to Namibia, reportedly learning of his reassignment through Trump's Truth Social post.
• Trump announced Alina Habba as interim US attorney for New Jersey — On Truth Social, Trump announced Alina Habba as the interim US attorney for the District of New Jersey. Habba currently serves as counselor to the president and previously worked as a legal spokesperson for Trump. She was threatened with imprisonment by a judge in Trump's defamation trial for her behavior, sanctioned in the 2022 Clinton conspiracy case, and recently called herself a "big fan" of alleged human trafficker Andrew Tate.
• Habba states intent to use U.S. attorney office for partisan purposes — On March 27, 2025, three days after her appointment, Alina Habba told a far-right conspiracy theorist in an interview that she planned to use her role as interim U.S. attorney to influence New Jersey's political alignment. She stated, "We could turn New Jersey red. I really do believe that. Hopefully while I'm there, I can help that cause." This explicit statement of partisan intent violated the traditional nonpartisan character of the U.S. attorney role.

Supporting reports

• Executive Order to Reduce Federal Bureaucracy — President Donald J. Trump signed Executive Order 14238 on March 14, 2025, directing the reduction of non-statutory components and functions of several federal entities, including the Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service and the United States Agency for Global Media. The order mandates these entities to minimize their statutory functions and personnel to the extent required by law. Heads of these entities must report compliance to the Office of Management and Budget within seven days.
• Trump issues executive order to reduce federal bureaucracy — President Donald Trump issued an executive order on March 14, 2025, aimed at reducing the federal bureaucracy by eliminating non-statutory components and functions of several governmental entities. The order targets the Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service, the United States Agency for Global Media, and others, mandating a reduction in their statutory functions and personnel to the minimum required by law. Heads of these entities must report compliance to the Office of Management and Budget within seven days, and funding requests inconsistent with the order are to be rejected.
• White House issued executive order directing elimination of seven federal agencies and components — The White House issued an executive order on March 14, 2025, directing the elimination of non-statutory components and functions of seven federal entities: the Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service, the United States Agency for Global Media, the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars, the Institute of Museum and Library Services, the United States Interagency Council on Homelessness, the Community Development Financial Institutions Fund, and the Minority Business Development Agency. The order requires each entity to reduce to minimum statutory functions within 7 days and directs OMB to reject funding requests inconsistent with the order.
• White House issues fact sheet on executive order reducing federal bureaucracy — The White House published a fact sheet on March 14, 2025, describing an executive order signed by President Trump that day. The order states it eliminates non-statutory functions and reduces statutory functions of seven named entities: Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service, United States Agency for Global Media, Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars, Institute of Museum and Library Services, United States Interagency Council on Homelessness, Community Development Financial Institutions Fund, and Minority Business Development Agency. The fact sheet claims the action will save taxpayer dollars and reduce government waste.

Supporting reports

• Federal employees resist Musk's demands — Following Musk's email directive, department heads at various federal agencies, including the FBI and the State Department, asserted their authority to manage their own employees and instructed them not to respond to Musk's demands. This pushback indicates a rift within the administration regarding Musk's influence.
• Federal Employees Respond to Musk's Demand — Following Musk's email demanding federal employees report their accomplishments, department heads asserted their authority to manage their own staff and advised employees not to respond to Musk's request. This response indicates a rift within the administration regarding the management of federal employees.
• Trump Urges Musk to Cut Government Spending — On February 20, 2025, Trump publicly urged Elon Musk to be "more aggressive" in cutting government spending, despite Musk's lack of formal authority. Following this, Musk sent an email to federal employees demanding they report their accomplishments from the previous week, with failure to respond treated as a resignation.

Supporting reports

• Judge allows Trump administration to continue mass firings of federal workers — A federal judge, Christopher Cooper, ruled that the Trump administration can continue its mass firings of federal employees, rejecting a bid by labor unions to halt the downsizing. The unions had sought to block the administration from firing hundreds of thousands of federal workers and granting buyouts to those who quit voluntarily. The judge stated that the court likely lacks jurisdiction over the claims, suggesting the unions file complaints with the Federal Labor Relations Authority instead. This ruling is temporary while litigation continues.
• Judge rules Trump administration can continue mass firings — A federal judge ruled that the Trump administration can proceed with mass firings of federal employees, rejecting a bid by labor unions to halt the downsizing of the federal workforce. The decision affects approximately 2.3 million federal workers, with the IRS beginning layoffs of around 7,000 employees. The ruling allows the administration to continue its efforts to reduce the size of the federal government, despite opposition from labor unions representing affected workers.
• Trump administration conducts mass firings of federal workers — The Trump administration has initiated mass firings of federal workers, citing "poor performance" as the reason. However, many of the terminated employees, including those with positive performance reviews, claim the firings are unjustified. The administration's actions have led to legal challenges, with a federal judge ruling against a restraining order to halt the firings. The firings have affected thousands of probationary employees and have raised concerns about potential legal and financial repercussions for the government.