In a significant legal development, U.S. District Judge Theodore Chuang issued a preliminary injunction against the closure of the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), spearheaded by the Trump administration and billionaire Elon Musk.
The Daily Mail reported that this court decision comes after Judge Chuang determined that their actions were likely unconstitutional and could potentially harm both the plaintiffs and the public interest.
The case unfolded in Maryland, where Judge Chuang reviewed the attempts to dismantle USAID. In his decision, he noted the closure process, including the unilateral decisions to shut down its operations and vacate its headquarters in Washington, DC, was likely in violation of U.S. constitutional norms.
It began with the Trump administration and Musk's drastic steps to cease the agency’s activities, starting on February 3 when signs were taken down, and employees were barred from the premises. According to Chuang, these actions lacked the necessary approval from a duly appointed USAID officer.
Following these initial measures, more than 2,000 USAID employees were put on administrative leave by the end of the week. By the end of February, emotional scenes unfolded as employees returned briefly to clear their desks.
The court's injunction demanded the restoration of some USAID functions, like its computer systems, and instructed that the agency should resume activities at its main office.
The ruling aimed to mitigate immediate disruptions following the closure attempt, which included the deactivation of the USAID website and employee email accounts.
The closure announcement led to public demonstrations. On February 28, USAID employees gathered outside their Washington, DC headquarters to protest. This outpouring of dissent was emblematic of the wider implications Musk and the Trump administration's actions held for global aid and diplomatic commitments.
In response to these drastic measures, both current and former USAID employees and contractors filed a lawsuit against Musk and the Trump administration, challenging the legality of their actions.
Under the Trump administration, Secretary of State Marco Rubio was briefly the acting head of USAID. He soon announced significant cuts, canceling 83 percent of USAID's foreign aid contracts, which were then scheduled to be managed by the State Department.
Judge Chuang underscored in his ruling that USAID enjoys a status as an independent entity established by Congress and, as such, cannot be summarily dismantled or restructured without legislative consent. This checks-and-balance was a focal point in the court's decision to intervene.
In the comprehensive ruling, Judge Chuang stated that the attempted expedited shutdown of USAID, including the permanent closure of its headquarters, likely breached multiple constitutional boundaries.
"The Court finds that Defendants' actions taken to shut down USAID on an accelerated basis, including its apparent decision to permanently close USAID headquarters without the approval of a duly appointed USAID Officer likely violated the United States Constitution in multiple ways," Chuang ruled.
He further added, "The actions not only harm the plaintiffs but also the public interest because they deprive the public's elected representatives in Congress of their congressional authority to decide whether, when, and how to close down an agency created by Congress."
The decision has been critiqued sharply by former President Donald Trump, who in an interview described USAID as a "whole big scam," and lambasted the judicial decision, suggesting that such a judge is "so bad for our country."
The legal battle over USAID’s future highlights the ongoing debate about the scope of executive power in managing federal agencies and the necessary checks and balances intended to prevent unilateral government overreach.