Trump's mass layoffs at US government agencies put on hold, appeals court rules

 Recently CNN.co.jp reported the following:

トランプ氏による米政府機関の大量解雇は保留、控訴裁が判断

2025.05.31 Sat posted at 18:35 JST

  （ＣＮＮ） 米国のトランプ大統領による複数の政府機関での大量解雇に関する大統領令について、連邦控訴裁判所は３０日夕、これを保留する判断を下した。

 

トランプ政権は第９巡回区控訴裁判所に対し、１０以上の省庁での解雇を停止した下級裁判所の命令を凍結するよう求めていた。

 

控訴裁の新たな判断は、連邦政府の大幅な縮小を目指すトランプ氏にとって大きな後退となる。これに先駆けスーザン・イルストン連邦地裁判事は、議会の承認なしにトランプ氏が連邦政府機関の大幅な刷新を行うことはできないと裁定していた。

 

今回、控訴裁は２対１の意見で、この訴訟で争点となっている大統領令について「憲法の下での大統領の監督権をはるかに超えている」と述べた。

 

トランプ氏はすでに一度、連邦最高裁に対してこの件への介入を要請しているが、訴訟は最終的に最高裁へ持ち込まれる公算が大きい。

 

ホワイトハウスのフィールズ報道官はＣＮＮへの声明で「一人の判事が憲法に反して、行政府から雇用と解雇の権限を奪おうとしている。大統領には行政府全体の権力を行使する権限が与えられている。奇特な地裁の裁判官が、大統領の政策課題を阻止するために司法府全体の権力を乱用することはできない」と主張。政権はこの命令に対抗すると付け加えた。

 

この裁判は連邦職員組合、地方自治体、外部団体によって起こされた。彼らは連邦政府の徹底的な再編を命じた２月の大統領令と、トランプ氏の政策を実施するために人事管理局（ＯＰＭ）と行政管理予算局（ＯＭＢ）が出した指令に異議を唱えている。

Translation

Trump's mass layoffs at US government agencies put on hold, appeals court rules

(CNN) A federal appeals court on the evening of the 30th put on hold President Trump's executive order on mass layoffs at multiple government agencies.

The Trump administration asked the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals to freeze a lower court order that had halted layoffs at more than 10 government departments.

The new ruling by the appeals court was a major setback for Trump who was aiming to significantly downsize the federal government. Prior to this, U.S. District Judge Susan Illston had ruled that Trump could not make major overhauls of federal agencies without congressional approval.

In this case in a 2-1 opinion, the appeals court said the president's executive order at issue "far exceeds the president's oversight authority under the Constitution."

Trump had already asked the Supreme Court to intervene in the case, and the case was likely to end up there.

White House spokesman Fields said in a statement to CNN, "A single judge is unconstitutionally trying to strip the executive branch of hiring and firing power. The President is empowered to exercise all powers of the executive branch. A quirky district court judge cannot abuse the entire power of the judiciary to block the president's policy agenda." He added that the administration would fight the order.

The lawsuit was brought by federal employee unions, local governments and outside groups. They were challenging the February presidential order that mandated a drastic reorganization of the federal government, and also the directives issued by the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) and the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) to implement Trump's policies.

              So, a federal appeals court has put on hold President Trump's executive order on mass layoffs at multiple government agencies. Apparently, an independent court system is important to ensure that laws in a democratic country are straightly followed and that potential “dictators” will be checked.

Note:

The current White House spokesman is Harrison Fields, who serves as the Special Assistant to the President and Principal Deputy Press Secretary. The White House Press Secretary, who leads the office, is Karoline Leavitt. (Gemini)