Court overturns Trump and Musk orders, orders thousands of federal employees to return to work

In a landmark ruling, federal courts in California and Maryland have ordered President Donald Trump's administration to reinstate thousands of federal probationary employees who were laid off as part of austerity measures at 19 government agencies.
The decision comes as a blow to efforts by Trump and his adviser, Elon Musk, to reorganize the administration by cutting jobs and reducing budgets. Agencies must now submit new plans for managing staff and funds, according to a Reuters report.
Judge James Bredar of Baltimore upheld a lawsuit filed by 20 Democratic-led states, finding that 18 agencies violated federal rules for firing probationary employees. His order includes reinstatements at institutions such as the Environmental Protection Agency, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau and USAID. Agencies such as the Department of Agriculture, the Department of Energy and the Department of Homeland Security are also required to follow the same order.
In parallel, in San Francisco, Judge William Alsup issued a similar ruling, ordering the reinstatement of laid-off staff from six agencies, including the Department of Defense.