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From CBS News: A federal judge on Tuesday found that Elon Musk and the White House’s Department of Government Efficiency likely violated the Constitution when they unilaterally acted to shut down the U.S. Agency for International Development.
U.S. District Judge Theodore Chuang ruled in favor of a group of more than two dozen unnamed current and former USAID employees and contractors who had challenged the efforts to shutter USAID, which were mounted by DOGE and Musk, a senior White House adviser who President Trump has said is the leader of the task force.
Chuang granted in part their request for a preliminary injunction and said in a 68-page decision that DOGE and Musk likely violated the Constitution’s Appointments Clause and separation of powers.
He ordered Musk and task force employees to reinstate access to email, payment and other electronic systems to all current USAID employees and personal services contractors. The judge also prevented the Trump administration from taking any action relating to the shutdown of USAID, including placing employees on administrative leave, firing USAID workers, closing its buildings, bureaus or offices, and deleting the contents of its websites or collections.
U.S. District Judge Theodore Chuang, 55, was born to a Taiwanese family in Pennsylvania, and his parents are immigrants from Taiwan.
Chuang was nominated by Barack Obama in September 2013 to serve as a United States district judge of the United States District Court for the District of Maryland, and was confirmed by the Senate in May 2014.
🚨 BREAKING: A judge just ordered Elon Musk’s DOGE to all but fully reinstate USAID after they dismantled it.
That’s right. A judge is now singlehandedly running the executive branch.
THIS HAS TO STOP. Judge Chuang was appointed by Obama.
Judge’s order from POLITICO. pic.twitter.com/cachNyc4gC
— Eric Daugherty (@EricLDaugh) March 18, 2025
Turning Point USA founder Charlie Kirk wrote: “BREAKING: Obama-appointed district court judge Theodore Chuang has ordered the restoration of USAID, claiming its shutdown “violated the United States Constitution.””
Kirk mocked, “In case it wasn’t explicit enough that the only two clauses of the left’s constitution were “thou shalt have open borders” and “All American money will be sent abroad.””
Elon Musk responded with one word: “Indeed.”
Indeed https://t.co/kyL3woTfEn
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) March 18, 2025
🚨BREAKING: Federal judge orders Elon Musk and DOGE to reinstate USAID. pic.twitter.com/DsWohBypVQ
— Benny Johnson (@bennyjohnson) March 18, 2025
LAWFARE: Obama judge has ordered Trump to restart USAID functions claiming, without evidence, that acting USAID Director Marco Rubio didn’t have authority to layoff staff and redirect the agencies efforts. He argued that scaling back the agency was unconstitutional. pic.twitter.com/m2ZycXXeTO
— @amuse (@amuse) March 18, 2025
Judge finds DOGE’s shutdown of USAID likely unconstitutional https://t.co/tKBm5UzB56 by @MelissaQuinn97
— Kathryn Watson (@kathrynw5) March 18, 2025
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