WASHINGTON: A US judge has temporarily blocked President Donald Trump’s plan to place 2,200 USAID workers on paid leave, just hours before the measure was set to take effect.
Judge Carl Nichols issued a temporary restraining order in response to a lawsuit filed by two unions representing USAID employees.
The restraining order will remain in effect until February 14, halting the leave of 2,200 workers, while also reinstating employees already placed on administrative leave.
The ruling prevents the Trump administration from continuing its efforts to dismantle USAID, a key US agency providing global aid, including health programmes.
USAID is the world’s largest humanitarian aid agency, and its 10,000 employees work in numerous countries around the world, often in the poorest regions.
The move to place the majority of staff on leave had been a part of the administration’s plan to reduce government spending and restructure federal agencies, but the unions argued it violated constitutional protections.
Judge Nichols sided with the unions, stating that they would face “irreparable harm” without the injunction, while there would be “zero harm” to the government.
The ruling was welcomed by the unions, but the legal battle is far from over. A hearing on a longer-term pause is set for Wednesday.
Trump had earlier argued that USAID was a misuse of taxpayer money and proposed cutting its funding. The president’s rhetoric has been critical of the agency, claiming it was corrupt and inefficient, a view that has drawn widespread criticism, especially from aid organisations and former officials.
The future of the agency remains uncertain, with its funding and operations heavily affected by the administration’s plans. The ongoing legal action highlights the intense debate over the role of USAID and the broader goals of Trump’s “America First” foreign policy.
