The Trump administration is scrambling. They were worried the courts would do this.
As a federal judge just stopped Trump dead in his tracks with an earth-shattering ruling.
Federal Judge Temporarily Blocks Trump Administration from Firing CIA Employees Linked to DEI Programs
A federal judge issued a temporary order on Thursday, preventing the Trump administration from firing 11 CIA employees linked to Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) initiatives. U.S. District Judge Anthony Trenga’s decision halts the dismissals for at least five days, providing more time for legal arguments to be presented.
The case stems from a lawsuit filed by Kevin Carroll, a former CIA officer and attorney representing the affected employees. Carroll argued that the 11 CIA officers were on temporary assignments related to DEI programs and had not received negative performance evaluations. The lawsuit, filed on Monday, challenges the Trump administration’s attempt to remove these employees, raising questions about the motivations behind the firings.
“The 11 officials are among 51 CIA employees who were placed on administrative leave shortly after Trump gained office and signed an executive order purging DEI programs across the federal government,” Carroll explained. The case centers on whether the administration’s actions were politically motivated, as Carroll argued, “These people are being fired just because of an assumption that’s been made that they are leftists.”
The judge’s temporary order is not a definitive ruling on the lawsuit but buys time for further review of both sides’ legal arguments. It delays the firings for at least five days, offering the plaintiffs a window to challenge the decision more fully in court.
U.S. District Judge Anthony Trenga has temporarily blocked the CIA and ODNI from firing 11 employees under President Trump’s order to end federal diversity programs DEI. The intelligence officers sued, claiming the dismissals violated their rights. pic.twitter.com/Cahotixbwz
— Geopoliti𝕏 (@DalioTroy) February 19, 2025
The 11 officials in question are part of a group of 51 CIA employees who were placed on administrative leave after Trump took office and issued an executive order targeting DEI programs. According to Carroll, the 51 officers were summoned to the visitors center outside the CIA’s high-security perimeter in Langley, Virginia, where their identification badges were confiscated. Carroll claims that these employees were given three options: retirement by October 1, resignation effective the following day, or termination by May 20.
The case is in the middle of the saga of legal challenges against the Trump administration’s efforts to curb DEI initiatives and root out what the president’s team refers to as “government waste.” Since taking office, Trump has faced scrutiny over his policies targeting federal programs he views as inconsistent with his administration’s priorities. In addition to attempting to dismantle DEI programs, Trump has sought to cut funding for federal initiatives he perceives as wasteful, provoking additional legal battles.
The situation has drawn further attention due to the involvement of the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), which has worked closely with tech entrepreneur Elon Musk. DOGE has also faced legal challenges from Democrats and fired federal employees in an ongoing push to streamline government operations and reduce spending.
The Mass Reforms The Trump Admin Has Brought So Far
The White House recently proposed a “deferred resignation” offer to nearly all federal employees, promising financial incentives such as months of paid leave for those who chose to leave their positions by February 6. This move, intended to reduce the size of the federal workforce, was met with controversy and legal challenges. Just before the deadline, a federal judge blocked the plan, seeking to hear arguments from both the administration and labor unions, which argued the proposal was illegal.
By February 12, the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) reported that approximately 75,000 federal employees had accepted the offer. However, the offer did not apply to everyone — especially to probationary employees, who typically have less than a year on the job and do not yet have civil service protection. In a related move on February 13, the administration ordered agencies to lay off nearly all of these probationary workers. Government data maintained by OPM indicates that as of March 2024, there were 220,000 federal employees with less than a year of service.
The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) also joined in these efforts, announcing the dismissal of over 1,000 employees who had served less than two years. Among those dismissed were researchers working on vital issues such as cancer treatment, opioid addiction, prosthetics, and burn pit exposure, according to Senator Patty Murray (D-Wash.). Additionally, at least 39 people were fired from the Education Department, including specialists in special education and student aid.
On top of these layoffs, the Education Department also saw significant cuts, including nearly $900 million in funding for the Institute of Education Services, an agency responsible for tracking the progress of America’s students. It remains unclear to what extent the institute will continue to operate, with industry experts reporting that at least 169 contracts were terminated on February 10.
The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) is another agency deeply affected by these cuts. Over 5,000 probationary employees are at risk of being laid off. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), for instance, initially announced the loss of nearly 1,300 probationary employees, which constituted about 10% of the agency’s workforce. However, the final number was closer to 700, according to CDC officials who requested anonymity. Similar layoffs occurred at public health agencies like the National Institutes of Health, the Food and Drug Administration, and the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, though HHS has not released final figures.
In addition to personnel reductions, the White House also paused federal grants and loans in January. Matthew Vaeth, acting director of the Office of Management and Budget, explained the rationale behind these actions, saying in a memo, “The use of Federal resources to advance Marxist equity, transgenderism, and green new deal social engineering policies is a waste of taxpayer dollars that does not improve the day-to-day lives of those we serve.”
Stay tuned to the DC Daily Journal.
