Federal judge finds Musk, DOGE likely acted unconstitutionally in closing USAID

A federal judge in Maryland recently ruled that the Trump administration’s attempts to shut down the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) were likely unconstitutional. U.S. District Judge Theodore Chuang found that the administration’s actions violated the United States Constitution by depriving Congress of its authority to decide the fate of the agency. The judge issued a preliminary injunction blocking further actions against USAID and ordered the immediate restoration of email and computer access for all employees.

The lawsuit was brought by current and former USAID employees and contractors who challenged the administration’s efforts to shutter the agency. This decision marks the first time a judge has ruled that Elon Musk, who was overseeing the shutdown, may need Senate confirmation under the Appointments Clause of the Constitution. The ruling comes after another federal judge ordered the administration to pay nearly $2 billion in frozen USAID funds owed to contractors for completed work.

Judge Chuang’s decision comes on the heels of a separate ruling by U.S. District Court Judge Amir Ali, who found that the Trump administration unlawfully impounded funds allocated for foreign aid, exceeding its constitutional authority. Ali ordered the administration to pay all owed foreign aid funds by a specified deadline. The Supreme Court also weighed in on the matter, rejecting the administration’s request to extend the freeze on payments.

USAID has long been a target of the Trump administration, with the president criticizing overseas spending as wasteful and arguing that it does not benefit American taxpayers. The administration announced plans to eliminate thousands of multi-year USAID contracts and State Department grants, resulting in significant budget cuts. Critics of the agency have pointed to questionable spending, such as funds allocated to a Gaza-based charity with ties to terrorism and a program promoting diversity in Serbia.

The battle over USAID funding and operations continues to unfold in the courts, with legal challenges and appeals likely to follow. The fate of the agency remains uncertain as the Biden administration seeks to reverse the Trump-era policies. As the case progresses, the impact of the court rulings on USAID’s operations and employees will be closely monitored.