Trump asks the Supreme Court to clear the way for federal downsizing plans
President Donald Trump’s administration has renewed its request for the Supreme Court to clear the way for plans to downsize the federal workforce, while a lawsuit filed by labor unions and cities proceeds. The high court filing Monday came after an appeals court refused to freeze a California-based judge’s order halting the cuts, which have been led by the Department of Government Efficiency. U.S. District Judge Susan Illston ruled last month that Trump’s administration needed congressional approval to make sizable cuts to the federal workforce. The administration initially asked the justices to step in last month, but withdrew its appeal for technical, legal reasons. The latest filing is one in a series emergency appeals arguing federal judges had overstepped their authority.