Judge blocks Trump’s move to dismantle Education Dept, citing lack of congressional approval and legal authority.

Federal Court Cites Overreach in Trump Administration Plan

A federal judge issued a ruling Thursday blocking President Donald Trump’s attempt to dismantle the U.S. Department of Education, declaring that the executive branch cannot shut down the agency without congressional consent. The decision halts a planned reduction in force announced in March and orders that any Education Department employees already terminated be reinstated.

U.S. District Judge Myong Joun authored the opinion, stating that the administration’s actions amounted to more than mere restructuring. He emphasized that the president’s repeated campaign pledges to eliminate the department were material to the court’s assessment of intent. “The idea that Defendants’ actions are merely a ‘reorganization’ is plainly not true,” Joun wrote in his decision.

The ruling underscored that while the administration acknowledged congressional approval is needed to formally close the department, its current efforts appeared designed to circumvent that requirement. Joun concluded there was no evidence supporting the administration’s distinction between legislative and administrative objectives. “There is nothing in the record to support these contradictory positions,” the judge noted.

The Department of Education rejected the ruling, releasing a statement condemning Joun as a “far-left judge” who had “overstepped his authority.” Spokeswoman Madi Biedermann argued that both President Trump and the Senate-confirmed Secretary of Education have the legal right to direct agency operations. “This ruling is not in the best interest of American students or families. We will immediately challenge this on an emergency basis,” she added.

Parallel Case Highlights Limits on Executive Termination Power

The ruling comes on the heels of another legal setback for the administration. On Wednesday, U.S. District Judge Reggie Walton blocked the removal of two Democratic members from the Privacy and Civil Liberties Oversight Board. Walton ruled that permitting their dismissal without cause would compromise the board’s independence and its statutory role of overseeing federal counterterrorism activities while protecting civil liberties.

“Allowing at-will removals would make the board beholden to the very authority it is supposed to oversee,” Walton wrote. Plaintiffs Travis LeBlanc and Edward Felten argued they could not be removed arbitrarily, while administration attorneys countered that the absence of explicit protections in the law meant such firings were permissible.

Responding to Walton’s ruling, White House spokesman Harrison Fields defended the administration’s stance. “The Constitution gives President Trump the power to remove personnel who exercise his executive authority,” Fields said. “The Trump Administration looks forward to ultimate victory on the issue.”

The two rulings mark significant judicial pushback against the Trump administration’s broader efforts to reshape or eliminate federal agencies and oversight structures. Legal experts anticipate continued litigation as the administration pursues emergency appeals and broader constitutional arguments in defense of its executive authority.