President Donald Trump just scored a significant win in his push to rein in federal union power. A federal appeals court has green-lit his executive order that could strip bargaining rights from hundreds of thousands of government workers. This ruling is a punchy reminder that the fight over workplace control in Washington isn’t slowing down anytime soon.
Newsmax reported that the San Francisco-based 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals overturned a lower court’s block on Trump’s March executive order, allowing the administration to potentially sidestep union negotiations with over a dozen federal agencies.
Let’s rewind to the start of this saga. Back in March, Trump issued an executive order that freed up agencies like the Departments of Justice, Defense, and Health and Human Services from mandatory bargaining with unions, especially those tied to intelligence or national security roles.
This move was seen as a way to streamline operations and make it easier to adjust working conditions or even discipline employees.
Not everyone was thrilled, naturally. Six unions, including the American Federation of Government Employees (AFGE), pushed back hard, securing an injunction in June from U.S. District Judge James Donato in San Francisco, who argued the order smacked of retaliation against unions critical of the president and violated their First Amendment protections.
Enter the 9th Circuit’s three-judge panel, which included two Trump appointees, Bridget Bade and Daniel Bress, alongside Obama appointee John Owens.
On Friday, they hit the pause button on Donato’s injunction, stating that Trump’s order showed no clear “retaliatory animus” on its face. That’s a polite way of saying, “Sorry, unions, we don’t see the personal vendetta here.”
The panel went further, siding with the administration’s claim that Trump would’ve issued this order regardless of any union criticism. This isn’t about silencing dissent, the court reasoned—it’s about executive authority over federal operations. For conservatives tired of bureaucratic gridlock, that’s music to the ears.
Now, let’s not ignore the unions’ perspective, even if it’s a bit of a stretch to swallow. AFGE National President Everett Kelley called this ruling “a setback for First Amendment rights in America.”
With all due respect, framing a policy disagreement as a constitutional crisis feels like the kind of overreach conservatives have been railing against for years.
Kelley also declared he’s “confident in our ability to ultimately prevail.” Confidence is admirable, but when a federal appeals court—and another in Washington, D.C., which paused a similar block in May—sides with the administration, that optimism might be more hope than strategy.
What does this order actually do if it sticks? It essentially allows agencies to bypass collective bargaining, making it simpler to change workplace rules, dismiss underperformers, or push through initiatives without endless union challenges in court. For those of us who believe government should run like a business, not a perpetual negotiation, this is a long-overdue reset.
Of course, the other side sees this as a gut punch to worker protections. They argue it undermines the ability of federal employees to have a say in their conditions, especially in high-stakes fields like national security.
While that concern isn’t baseless, let’s be real—national security shouldn’t be held hostage to union demands. The scope of Trump’s order is no small potatoes.
It covers major players like the Departments of State, Treasury, and Defense, expanding existing exemptions for roles tied to intelligence or counterintelligence work. This isn’t just a tweak; it’s a fundamental shift in how federal workplaces could operate.
Critics might cry foul, claiming this is about punishing political opponents. But the 9th Circuit’s ruling undercuts that narrative, finding no evidence of personal spite in the order itself. If anything, it’s a pragmatic, if tough, call on executive power over a bloated system.
Don’t pop the champagne just yet, though—the fight isn’t over. The 9th Circuit’s decision merely holds the injunction in limbo while further appeals play out, meaning unions still have a shot to reverse this. Still, for now, Trump’s administration has the upper hand.
For conservatives, this is a win for efficiency over entrenched interests. Federal agencies shouldn’t be bogged down by endless bargaining when they’re tasked with protecting the nation or managing taxpayer dollars. It’s a step away from the progressive agenda that often prioritizes process over results.