DOJ Sues Virginia Over Failure to Provide Full Voter Registration Records 
U.S. Approves Over $6.5 Billion in Military Sales to Israel Across Three Defense Contracts 
SEC Drops Gemini Enforcement Case After Full Repayment to Earn Investors 
NTSB Opens Investigation Into Waymo Robotaxis After School Bus Safety Violations in Texas 
ICE Blocked From Entering Ecuador Consulate in Minneapolis During Immigration Operation 
South Korea Repatriates 73 Suspected Online Scammers From Cambodia in Major Crackdown 
U.S. Government Enters Brief Shutdown as Congress Delays Funding Deal 
Democrats Score Surprise Texas State Senate Win, Fueling Momentum Ahead of 2026 Midterms 
New York Judge Orders Redrawing of GOP-Held Congressional District 
Brazil Supreme Court Orders Asset Freeze of Nelson Tanure Amid Banco Master Investigation 
Keir Starmer Urges Prince Andrew to Testify in U.S. Epstein Investigation 
FCC Chairman Raises Competition Concerns Over Netflix–Warner Bros. Discovery Deal 
Zelenskiy Awaits U.S. Details as Ukraine Prepares for Possible Peace Talks Next Week 
Citigroup Faces Lawsuit Over Alleged Sexual Harassment by Top Wealth Executive 
U.S. Vaccine Policy Shifts Under RFK Jr. Create Uncertainty for Pharma and Investors 
Sam Altman Criticizes ICE Enforcement as Corporate Leaders Call for De-Escalation 
The Trump administration has appealed a federal judge’s ruling that blocked mass layoffs across federal agencies, a move seen as central to the former president’s efforts to streamline government operations. U.S. District Judge Susan Illston had issued the order on Thursday, stating that President Trump required Congressional approval for large-scale agency reorganizations. The administration filed its appeal with the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in San Francisco, arguing that the ruling misinterprets the constitutional separation of powers.
White House spokesman Harrison Fields called the decision "extreme judicial overreach," asserting that Congress had previously granted the executive branch authority to implement reductions in force, a practice dating back nearly 150 years.
The court’s decision marks another legal setback for Trump’s initiative—driven alongside adviser Elon Musk—to downsize or eliminate agencies, ease the dismissal of federal workers, and limit union rights. On May 9, Judge Illston temporarily blocked 20 federal agencies from conducting mass layoffs and ordered the reinstatement of dismissed employees. Her new ruling largely extends that order.
Government attorney Andrew Bernie argued that Trump's executive order simply requested agencies to explore possible cuts, not implement them immediately. However, plaintiffs' attorney Danielle Leonard contended that directives from the White House had effectively predetermined agency actions.
The lawsuit includes multiple agencies such as Health and Human Services, Veterans Affairs, and the Treasury Department. Approximately 260,000 federal workers have already exited or are set to leave by the end of September, with agencies like the VA and HHS facing major job reductions.
Illston, a Clinton appointee, emphasized that while the president can propose agency reforms, significant reorganizations require legislative cooperation. The administration has withdrawn a separate Supreme Court appeal in light of this latest ruling.
