Judge Blocks Trump, Wants Him To Do What?

A federal judge issued a ruling Thursday that temporarily halts the Trump administration’s attempt to dismantle the Department of Education, as a legal challenge against the move moves forward in court. The decision is a significant setback for President Trump and Education Secretary Linda McMahon, as the court determined they lack the authority to close the department without congressional approval.

Judge Myong J. Joun of the U.S. District Court in Massachusetts granted a preliminary injunction, stating the move to dissolve the agency conflicts with federal law. In a further rebuke to the administration, the judge ordered that all previously terminated employees of the Department of Education be reinstated to their positions. In his written opinion, Joun noted that the government failed to cite any precedent supporting the idea that the Secretary of Education has the authority to effectively dismantle the department under the guise of administrative reorganization.

An Education Department spokesperson, Madi Biedermann, said the administration intends to challenge the judge’s decision on an emergency basis, signaling that this legal fight is far from over. She accused the judge of overstepping his bounds and criticized the ruling as politically motivated. In her words, President Trump and the Senate-confirmed Secretary should be the ones guiding the department’s structure not, as she put it, “an unelected judge with a political axe to grind.”

Judge Joun’s order emphasized the administration’s failure to provide justification for several of its actions, including the elimination of entire offices, the abrupt dismissal of employees, and the broader reduction of departmental functions. He stated that no documentation had been offered to demonstrate how these decisions would enhance the efficiency or effectiveness of the department, despite the administration’s claims.

The judge also noted that the cuts could cause significant harm, especially to students with disabilities who rely on support from the Department of Education. In his view, the downsizing effort appears more political than practical.

This legal conflict stems from an executive order signed by President Trump in March, which aimed to dismantle the department entirely. That same month, nearly half of the department’s workforce was let go. However, the law is clear: closing a federal agency such as the Department of Education requires a vote by Congress, not just a stroke of the president’s pen.

The next phase of this high-stakes legal and political battle will likely unfold quickly, with both sides preparing for appeals and further hearings in the weeks ahead.