White House rips Clinton-appointed judge who ordered reinstatement of thousands of fired federal workers
WASHINGTON, DC: The White House is not having it.
In a blunt response to a federal judge’s ruling on Thursday, March 13, the Trump administration slammed the decision as “absurd and unconstitutional” after it ordered the reinstatement of thousands of federal employees who were fired last month under Trump’s directive.
White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt didn’t mince words, calling out US District Judge William Alsup in a scathing statement.
"A single judge is attempting to unconstitutionally seize the power of hiring and firing from the Executive Branch," Leavitt fumed. "The President has the authority to exercise the power of the entire executive branch – singular district court judges cannot abuse the power of the entire judiciary to thwart the President’s agenda."
"If a federal district court judge would like executive powers, they can try and run for president themselves," she added.
Judge William Alsup defends decision
The San Francisco-based judge, who was appointed by former president Bill Clinton, ordered immediate reinstatement for all probationary employees fired on or around February 13. That includes workers from six major federal agencies—Veterans Affairs, Defense, Energy, Interior, Agriculture, and Treasury, the New York Post reported.
According to Alsup, the mass firings—carried out by acting Office of Personnel Management (OPM) Director Charles Ezell—violated federal laws designed to regulate workforce reductions.
But before anyone could accuse him of overstepping, Alsup made it clear he wasn’t saying the administration couldn’t reduce its workforce—just that they had to follow the rules.
"The words that I give you today should not be taken as some kind of wild and crazy judge in San Francisco has said that the administration cannot engage in a reduction in force. I’m not saying that at all," Alsup stated.
"Of course, if he does, it has to comply with the statutory requirements: the Reduction In Force Act, the Civil Service Act, the Constitution, maybe other statutes," he continued. "But it can be done," Alsup added.
According to him, the government can shrink its workforce, but it can’t just fire people on a whim—especially when they were given stellar performance reviews just months before getting the axe.
"It is sad, a sad day, when our government would fire some good employee and say it was based on performance when they know good and well that’s a lie," he said, adding, "That should not have been done in our country."
Unions declare victory while White House prepares to retaliate
The lawsuit that triggered Judge William Alsup’s ruling was brought by the American Federation of State, County, and Municipal Employees (AFSCME), along with other labor unions, arguing that OPM’s role in the terminations was illegal. And they couldn’t be happier with the result.
AFSCME President Lee Saunders hailed the ruling as a huge win. "Public service workers are the backbone of our communities in every way. Today, we are proud to celebrate the court’s decision, which orders that fired federal employees must be reinstated and reinforces they cannot be fired without reason," he said.
"This is a big win for all workers, especially AFSCME members of the United Nurses Associations of California and District Council 20, who will be able to continue their essential work at the Department of Agriculture, Veterans Affairs Department, and other agencies," Saunders added.
Alsup’s ruling is the biggest legal roadblock Trump’s administration has faced so far on the mass firings, but it’s just one of several lawsuits in play. Democratic state attorneys general and individual employees have also filed lawsuits.
Despite the setback, the White House is not waving the white flag.
Leavitt made it crystal clear that the administration isn’t letting Alsup’s ruling stand without a fight. "The Trump administration will immediately fight back against this absurd and unconstitutional order," she declared.
