A federal judge halted a legal challenge to the Trump administration’s effort to reclassify certain federal employees, making them easier to fire.
Judge Jia Cobb of the US District Court for the District of Columbia stayed the lawsuit at the request of Trump’s attorneys, who argued the administration should be given time to publish a rule implementing Trump’s day-one executive order weakening job protections for some civil service workers. The administration told the court this week it needed more time to review comments and publish a final rule.
Trump’s executive order aims to exempt more government workers from civil service protections. Federal unions have warned it would make it easier to fire employees who disagree with Trump.
The lawsuit was brought by the National Treasury Employees Union, which represents workers in more than three dozen federal agencies, including the Internal Revenue Service and the Department of Health and Human Services.
Cobb ordered the parties to file a joint status report in 120 days with an updated timeline for a final rule and a proposal on how to proceed. She also instructed the plaintiffs to submit an amended complaint within 30 days of the rule’s publication.
NTEU challenged Trump’s executive order in 2020 that similarly narrowed civil service protections. The case ended when former President Joe Biden reversed the order.
The case is NTEU v Trump, D.D.C., No. 1:25-cv-00170-JMC, 6/27/25.
(Updated with additional reporting throughout)
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