A federal judge on Friday, February 7, 2025, issued a temporary restraining order blocking the Trump administration’s attempt to place nearly 2,700 employees of the US Agency for International Development (USAID) on administrative leave and recall most of those stationed abroad.
The ruling delivers a significant legal setback to the administration’s efforts to curtail US foreign aid in alignment with President Donald Trump’s “America First” agenda.
The decision, handed down by Judge Carl J. Nichols of the US District Court for the District of Columbia, comes in response to a lawsuit filed by the American Foreign Service Association and the American Federation of Government Employees. The plaintiffs argue that the administration’s unilateral move to sideline USAID personnel constitutes an unconstitutional and illegal dismantling of the agency without congressional approval.
Judge Nichols, a Trump appointee, said the “irreparable harm” that USAID workers would suffer if forced onto administrative leave, particularly those operating in high-risk regions.
“Administrative leave in Syria is not the same as administrative leave in Bethesda,” Nichols wrote, highlighting the dangers of removing essential diplomatic and humanitarian personnel from critical foreign missions.
Legal Challenge to USAID Overhaul
The temporary restraining order, which remains in effect until February 14, halts the administration’s plan to furlough thousands of USAID workers, prevents further recalls of overseas personnel, and reinstates approximately 500 employees who had already been placed on leave. However, the ruling did not require the administration to reopen USAID buildings or reinstate funding for grants and contracts.
This lawsuit marks the first major legal confrontation between Trump’s administration and USAID employees since the president’s return to office. The move to restructure USAID is part of a broader government overhaul effort led by billionaire Elon Musk and his controversial Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), which has pushed for deep cuts to foreign aid and federal workforce reductions.
Trump defended the USAID shake-up on social media, alleging—without evidence—that significant portions of the agency’s funding had been misused. “THE CORRUPTION IS AT LEVELS RARELY SEEN BEFORE,” he wrote on Truth Social. “CLOSE IT DOWN!”
Impact on Global Humanitarian Efforts
The plaintiffs in the lawsuit warn that the administration’s sudden workforce reductions have already triggered a humanitarian crisis by halting essential USAID operations. The fallout was evident outside USAID headquarters in Washington, D.C., on Friday, as employees removed the agency’s name from signage and lowered its flag.
Earlier in the week, USAID had quietly announced on its website that nearly all global direct-hire staff—both civil service and Foreign Service employees—would be placed on administrative leave as of midnight Friday. That announcement has since been removed.
With Friday’s injunction, the Trump administration’s aggressive push to sideline USAID personnel faces a legal roadblock, setting the stage for further litigation over the future of the agency and the broader scope of executive power in foreign aid policymaking.
