Despite legal setbacks, President Trump is forging ahead with a new wave of mass layoffs across the U.S. government. Courts have ordered thousands of workers reinstated, but the administration shows no signs of slowing down.
Vice President JD Vance admitted that errors have been made in the rapid downsizing process since Trump took office in January.
Federal agencies faced a Thursday deadline to submit major reorganization plans as part of Trump’s initiative to radically reshape the federal bureaucracy. This effort is led by Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE).
To date, DOGE has proposed cutting over 100,000 jobs from the 2.3 million-strong federal civilian workforce, freezing foreign aid, and canceling thousands of programs and contracts.
However, DOGE’s approach has been criticized for being haphazard, resulting in the dismissal and subsequent recall of key federal employees, including those overseeing the nuclear stockpile and scientists combating bird flu.
Vice President Vance commented on the situation, saying, “Elon himself has said that sometimes you do something, you make a mistake, and then you undo the mistake. I’m accepting of mistakes.” He emphasized the importance of correcting errors swiftly and acknowledged the dedication of hardworking federal employees.
Legal challenges have emerged as significant obstacles. Federal courts in California and Maryland ruled that thousands of probationary employees, many with less than two years on the job, be reinstated after being dismissed en masse.
U.S. District Judge William Alsup in San Francisco ordered the reinstatement of workers at the Departments of Defense, Veterans Affairs, Agriculture, Energy, Interior, and Treasury.
In Baltimore, U.S. District Judge James Bredar directed the administration to reinstate tens of thousands of federal workers, agreeing with 20 Democratic-led states that 18 agencies violated regulations during the layoffs.
The White House dismissed the judges as partisan activists and vowed to fight back, already appealing the California ruling and requesting a pause on its implementation.
Despite the setbacks, President Trump, with Elon Musk by his side, signed an executive order on February 11 directing all agencies to “promptly undertake preparations to initiate large-scale reductions in force (RIF).”
As the administration pushes forward with its ambitious plans, uncertainty looms over the federal workforce and the services that many rely on, both domestically and globally.
