Judge Orders Halt to Musk's Shutdown of USAID

(Patria) - A federal judge on Tuesday ordered an emergency halt to the closure of the main US humanitarian agency by Elon Musk's Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), AFP reported.

The dismantling of the US Agency for International Development (USAID) "likely violated the United States Constitution in multiple ways," said District Judge Theodore Chuang.

Chuang issued his ruling in response to a lawsuit by current and former USAID employees and contractors challenging the legal authority of the billionaire tasked by President Donald Trump with cutting federal spending and jobs.

They argued that under the Appointments Clause of the US Constitution, Musk must be confirmed by the Senate to exercise such powers. The judge agreed, stating that allowing Musk to continue wielding immense power over the government would "open the door to the end of the Appointments Clause" and reduce it to "nothing more than a technical formality."

Chuang said that the actions of Musk and DOGE violated Congress's authority to decide when and how to close USAID, where most workers have been placed on leave or fired since January. The agency was established by Congress in 1961.

Secretary of State Marco Rubio said last week that the United States is canceling 83 percent of USAID programs, which distribute humanitarian aid worldwide, with health and emergency programs in about 120 countries.

The judge's ruling was the latest legal setback in Trump's attempt to cut costs and government staff. Another judge recently ordered the reinstatement of thousands of probationary workers at multiple agencies fired by Musk's DOGE.

Chuang ordered that access to email and other electronic systems be restored to current USAID employees and contractors. He also said the agency should be allowed to reoccupy its Washington headquarters unless the court receives confirmation from the acting USAID administrator or another authorized US official that the building is being permanently closed.

Trump signed an executive order in January requiring a freeze on all US foreign aid to allow time for a review of overseas spending.