The Trump admin was steaming ahead with accomplishing its goals. Now it has all stopped.
Because Donald Trump’s agenda came to a screeching halt thanks to this federal judge.
Federal Judge Halts Trump’s Plan to Dismantle Education Department
On Thursday, U.S. District Judge Myong Joun issued a ruling preventing President Donald Trump from dismantling the Department of Education without congressional approval.
The decision blocks a planned mass-firing at the department and mandates the reinstatement of any employees already terminated, marking a significant check on the administration’s efforts to restructure federal agencies.
“The idea that Defendants’ actions are merely a ‘reorganization’ is plainly not true,” Judge Joun wrote, addressing Trump’s campaign promises to eliminate the Department of Education.
The ruling highlighted inconsistencies in the administration’s position, noting, “Defendants do acknowledge, as they must, that the Department cannot be shut down without Congress’s approval, yet they simultaneously claim that their legislative goals (obtaining Congressional approval to shut down the Department) are distinct from their administrative goals (improving efficiency). There is nothing in the record to support these contradictory positions.”
The order directly counters the administration’s March announcement of significant layoffs at the department, which Joun viewed as an attempt to bypass legislative authority.
Parallel Ruling on Oversight Board Firings
The Education Department ruling follows closely on the heels of another federal decision on Wednesday, when U.S. District Judge Reggie Walton blocked the Trump administration from firing two Democratic members of the Privacy and Civil Liberties Oversight Board.
Walton argued that allowing at-will removals would undermine the board’s purpose, stating, “beholden to the very authority it is supposed to oversee on behalf of Congress and the American people.”
The board, established by Congress to ensure federal counterterrorism policies align with privacy and civil liberties laws, was at the center of a lawsuit by members Travis LeBlanc and Edward Felten, who contended that board members cannot be dismissed without cause.
In response, the Trump administration argued that other congressionally created boards have explicit job protections, which the Privacy and Civil Liberties Oversight Board lacks, and that judicial imposition of such protections would be inappropriate.
White House spokesman Harrison Fields told the Associated Press, “The Constitution gives President Trump the power to remove personnel who exercise his executive authority. The Trump Administration looks forward to ultimate victory on the issue.” Walton’s ruling, however, emphasizes the need for the board to maintain independence to fulfill its oversight role effectively.
Implications for Executive Authority
These judicial interventions highlight ongoing tensions between the Trump administration’s executive actions and the checks imposed by the judiciary and Congress.
The rulings highlight the requirement for legislative approval in altering federal agencies and the importance of maintaining independent oversight bodies.
As the administration vows to pursue further legal challenges, these decisions may set precedents for the balance of power between the executive branch and other governmental institutions.
