Trump is being obstructed at every turn. And now it’s getting serious.
Because a federal judge handed Donald Trump a devastating loss.
Judicial Roadblock to Agency Closures
A federal judge has thwarted President Donald Trump’s attempt to dismantle three key federal agencies dedicated to public resources, minority businesses, and mediation services.
U.S. District Judge John McConnell, appointed by former President Barack Obama, issued a ruling on Tuesday that halts the closure of the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS), the Minority Business Development Agency (MBDA), and the Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service (FMCS).
The decision came in response to a lawsuit filed by nearly two dozen Democratic-led states, who argued that Trump’s actions overstepped executive authority.
The states contended that shutting down these agencies violated the constitutional separation of powers, a principle McConnell strongly upheld.
“It … disregards the fundamental constitutional role of each of the branches of our federal government; specifically, it ignores the unshakable principles that Congress makes the law and appropriates funds, and the Executive implements the law Congress enacted and spends the funds Congress appropriated,” McConnell wrote in his ruling, emphasizing the checks and balances central to the U.S. government.
States’ Standing and Tangible Harms
The Trump administration’s legal team attempted to dismiss the lawsuit, arguing that the states lacked standing to challenge the closures. McConnell, however, rejected this defense, finding that the states had demonstrated clear and immediate harm.
“The States have presented compelling evidence illustrating that the harms stemming from the dismantling of IMLS, MBDA, and FMCS are already unfolding or are certain to occur,” McConnell stated.
He pointed to “the significant reduction in personnel available and competent to administer these agencies’ funds and services and the elimination of certain programs that served the States” as evidence of the closures’ detrimental impact.
The ruling highlights the critical role these agencies play in supporting state-level programs, from cultural institutions to minority-owned businesses and labor dispute resolutions. By affirming the states’ standing, McConnell validated their concerns about the ripple effects of losing federal support, setting a precedent for judicial oversight of executive actions that disrupt established agencies.
Broader Context of Federal Funding Battles
This decision is not McConnell’s first intervention against Trump’s administrative moves. Earlier this year, on January 31, the judge blocked a nationwide freeze on federal grants initiated by the Trump administration.
That case, brought by 22 states and the District of Columbia, challenged the blanket suspension of funding as an overreach of executive power.
McConnell ordered the administration to “immediately restore frozen funding” pending further litigation, a directive that carried significant implications for states reliant on federal resources.
In his January ruling, McConnell described the funding freeze as “likely unconstitutional” and noted that it “has caused and continues to cause irreparable harm to a vast portion of this country.”
The latest decision builds on this pattern of judicial pushback, reinforcing McConnell’s stance that broad executive actions undermining congressional appropriations are constitutionally suspect. As the legal battles continue, these rulings highlight the ongoing tension between the Trump administration’s agenda and the judiciary’s role in upholding the balance of power.
