The court partially overturned the Trump administration's decision on USAID
Trump and Musk have accused the agency of criminal acts, corruption and fraud.
The court in Washington granted the petition of the union of US civil servants and the Association of Foreign Service Employees, which filed a lawsuit after the administration of President Donald Trump sent on leave the employees of the US Agency for International Development (USAID), which allocated aid to other countries, reports Reuters.
Thus, Washington District Judge Carl Nichols, whom Trump appointed during his first term, agreed with the lawyer of the Agency's employees that a significant reduction in the organisation's staff, as well as the closure of offices and forced relocation of USAID employees were committed in violation of the principle of separation of powers and in circumvention of the powers of the executive branch. On this basis, he allowed the Agency's employees to return to work. However, this is a temporary decision. They are allowed to perform their functions until 14 February.
The decision will affect about 2.7 thousand people: 500, already sent on leave, and 2.2 thousand, who were to leave work on 8 February. The decision also prohibited the transfer of USAID employees outside the US.
The court is expected to revisit the issue again after 14 February.
At the same time, the judge rejected other demands of the unions to open USAID buildings and resume funding for grants and contracts of the agency.
Recall, Trump said that corruption in the US Agency for International Development (USAID) was at an "unprecedented level", so the organisation will be reduced as much as possible. In the Trump team planned to reduce the staff of USAID to 294 people against 10 thousand who work there now. The main office of the agency was closed in Washington. Logos and photos telling about USAID activities were removed from the walls of the building. The website and the organisation's account in social network X also stopped working.
The American Foreign Service Association (AFSA) and the American Federation of Government Employees (AFGE) filed a lawsuit demanding the reopening of USAID.