WASHINGTON (NewsNation) — President Donald Trump and top administration officials are openly criticizing the judiciary’s authority as their sweeping agenda faces growing court challenges.
Some officials, including billionaire Elon Musk and Vice President JD Vance, have criticized a federal judge’s decision blocking Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency from accessing Treasury Department records, questioning the legitimacy of judicial oversight.
Trump called the ruling “crazy.”
The administration’s efforts to dismantle government agencies and the federal workforce are being held up in the courts. Judges have issued rulings temporarily blocking a deadline for mass buyouts for federal employees, an effort to place U.S. Agency for International Development workers on leave, and an executive order targeting birthright citizenship. Two judges will review cases on these issues Monday.
Federal buyout deadline
A federal judge will hear arguments Monday over the legality of the Trump administration’s buyout offer to nearly 2 million United States federal employees.
The American Foreign Service Association and the American Federation of Government Employees filed a lawsuit arguing the buyout is unconstitutional, asserting that only Congress has the authority to approve such measures.
This buyout plan is part of Trump’s broader effort to reduce the federal workforce by offering workers up to eight months of pay and benefits to leave their government jobs. It also aligns with Trump’s efforts to cut staffing for U.S. aid projects worldwide as part of the administration’s efforts to dismantle USAID.
So far, more than 65,000 workers, about 2.5% of the federal civilian workforce, have accepted the buyout.
Federal workers have until 11:59 p.m. Monday to decide whether to accept the offer.
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Musk estimates the reductions could save $100 billion based on the average government salary, which is around six figures.
Trump criticized the judge’s decision to restrict DOGE’s access, calling it “a disgrace” late Sunday.
“We’re very disappointed with the judges that would make such a ruling, but we have a long way to go,” Trump told reporters aboard Air Force One while he flew from Florida to New Orleans to attend the Super Bowl. “No judge should frankly be allowed to make that kind of a decision. It’s a disgrace,” he said.
Musk reiterates attack on judges
Early Saturday, U.S. District Judge Paul A. Engelmayer issued a preliminary injunction after 19 Democratic attorneys general filed a lawsuit alleging the Trump administration allowed Musk’s team access to the Treasury Department’s central payment system in violation of federal law.
The payment system handles tax refunds, Social Security benefits, veterans’ benefits and much more, sending out trillions of dollars annually while containing an expansive network of Americans’ personal and financial data. A hearing is set for Feb. 14.
Musk and his team said they are simply working to identify waste and abuse in government systems at the direction of the president.
Early Monday, Musk reiterated his calls from over the weekend, writing in a social media post that “it’s time” to impeach federal judges.
He also accused the Federal Emergency Management Agency of sending $59 million to luxury hotels housing illegal migrants last week and said the DOGE team will work to recoup those funds, which he said were illegally spent.
Judges block birthright citizenship changes
A fourth federal judge will hear arguments Monday against Trump’s executive order to ban birthright citizenship.
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The ACLU of New Hampshire filed a lawsuit calling for a judge to block the order, arguing it violates the 14th Amendment, endangers newborn babies, and essentially goes against core American values.
Twenty-two states and several organizations have banded together to challenge the order in cases nationwide.
Monday’s hearing follows similar cases in Maryland, Seattle and Boston. The judges in the Maryland and Washington state cases issued indefinite injunctions against the policy change, calling it unconstitutional.
The judge in Boston said Friday he would take the request from 18 state attorneys general to block the order under advisement.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
