Supreme Court Allows Trump to Terminate 16,000 Probationary Federal Workers in Major Win for Administration
April 8, 2025, 11:44 AM PDT — The U.S. Supreme Court handed President Donald Trump a significant victory Tuesday, ruling that his administration can proceed with terminating 16,000 probationary federal workers across six agencies, overturning a lower court’s order to reinstate them. In a brief, unsigned opinion, the court found that nine labor unions and nonprofit groups challenging the firings lacked standing, effectively greenlighting Trump’s aggressive push to shrink the federal workforce—a cornerstone of his second-term agenda.
The decision, issued just after 9:40 AM PDT, halts a March injunction from U.S. District Judge William Alsup in San Francisco, who had ordered the Departments of Veterans Affairs, Agriculture, Defense, Energy, Interior, and Treasury to rehire the workers fired in February. Alsup, a Clinton appointee, ruled the dismissals—directed by the Office of Personnel Management (OPM)—violated federal law by bypassing proper procedures. The 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals upheld that order last month, but the Supreme Court’s 7-2 ruling—opposed by Justices Sonia Sotomayor and Ketanji Brown Jackson—shifts the tide.
A Battle Over Executive Power
The Trump administration sought the emergency stay on March 24, arguing that Alsup’s ruling “hijacked the employment relationship between the federal government and its workforce,” per Acting Solicitor General Sarah M. Harris. Probationary employees—typically in their first one-to-two years or newly promoted—lack full civil-service protections, making them prime targets for Trump’s downsizing spree, guided by billionaire adviser Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE). The Justice Department claimed the firings addressed performance issues, though Alsup slammed the excuse as a sham, citing glowing reviews for many affected workers.
Unions and nonprofits, including the American Federation of Government Employees, countered that OPM lacked authority to order mass terminations, warning of “dramatic and immediate” service gaps—like understaffing at VA hospitals or Forest Service cuts. Their April 3 plea to preserve Alsup’s order fell flat as the Supreme Court ruled their alleged harms—reduced government services—didn’t grant them legal standing. “The allegations are presently insufficient,” the court wrote, sidestepping the firings’ legality for now.
Fallout and Dissent
Sotomayor and Jackson dissented, with Jackson questioning the rush to intervene on an emergency basis without full briefing. “This isn’t the final word,” she hinted, as litigation continues in lower courts. A parallel Maryland case, where Judge James Bredar ordered reinstatement for 24,000 workers across 18 agencies in 19 states and D.C., remains active—muddying the practical impact. Defense Department workers outside that jurisdiction face immediate risk, though some agencies had preemptively rehired staff on administrative leave.
The ruling sparked polarized reactions. Trump hailed it on Truth Social as “another WIN for America First,” while unions decried a “deeply disappointing” blow to public servants. Posts on X ranged from “Federal bloat’s finally getting cut” to “SCOTUS just gutted worker rights for Trump’s whims.” Markets, already reeling from Trump’s tariffs—a $5 trillion S&P 500 hit—barely flinched, though Fed Chair Jerome Powell, speaking today, flagged the cuts as a wildcard for economic stability.
What’s Next?
The decision doesn’t settle the firings’ lawfulness—courts will still weigh OPM’s role and procedural missteps—but it frees Trump to act now. With over 200,000 probationary workers government-wide, per AP estimates, this could be a prelude to broader slashing. As the administration eyes a Reduction in Force Act process with 60-day state notices, the Supreme Court’s move signals a judiciary leaning toward executive latitude—a trend underscored by its Monday nod to Venezuelan deportations. For the 16,000 in limbo, it’s a harsh new reality; for Trump, a green light to remake the government in his image.
