Court Grants Trump Permission To Strip Union Rights From USAID, State Dept. Employees

Another day, another district court judge has been overturned by an appeals court.

A federal appeals court has granted President Donald Trump a significant victory, allowing him, at least temporarily, to revoke collective bargaining rights from employees at the State Department and the U.S. Agency for International Development, as reported by The Washington Times.

The court determined that the law provides the White House with extensive authority in this domain, especially when national security is concerned.

On Friday, the DC Circuit Court of Appeals delivered the ruling, suspending a lower court’s decision that had prevented Trump’s action.

The previous ruling, issued by U.S. District Judge Paul Friedman, asserted that the president’s action was unlawful and indicated that courts could assess presidential decisions in this matter. However, the appeals court firmly disagreed.

In an unsigned order, the judges stated that the law grants the president “broad authority” to exclude federal employees from union protections when national security is at stake.

They emphasized that the Secretary of State is a member of the National Security Council and that the primary mission of the State Department is U.S. security, which means the president’s judgment is paramount.

“When a statutory delegation invokes the president’s discretion in exercising core Article II responsibilities, there is little for a court to review,” the panel remarked.

The court’s stay indicates that Trump’s order can now be implemented while the case progresses through the lower courts.

This ruling represents a significant setback for the American Foreign Service Association, which has pledged to continue its fight.

“The court’s ruling to stay our preliminary injunction is a setback, not only for AFSA but also for over 50 years of efforts to protect the rights of America’s career diplomats and to maintain transparency and due process within the government,” stated AFSA President Tom Yazdgerdi.

Trump’s executive order, issued on March 27, specified numerous agencies that he deemed to have a national security function, including the State Department, Treasury, Justice Department, FCC, VA, and even the National Science Foundation, thereby excluding their employees from collective bargaining.

This order has already triggered several legal challenges. The current lawsuit was initiated by AFSA, which alleged that the administration engaged in political retaliation after its members opposed Trump’s intentions to reduce certain USAID and State Department operations.

In support of its case, AFSA referenced a fact sheet that was published alongside the executive order, which claimed that federal unions had “declared war on President Trump’s agenda.”

The White House maintained its position. “Safeguarding America’s national security is a fundamental constitutional responsibility, and President Trump will not allow union obstruction to hinder his efforts to protect Americans and our national interests,” a spokesperson informed the Times.

In previous hearings, Friedman had pointed out that a president is not obligated to justify his decision-making in such situations, yet contended that since Trump had offered an explanation, it undermined the legal rationale. The appeals court chose not to consider that matter in its most recent ruling.

This development follows just over a week after another significant triumph for the president in the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals.

Last week, the court approved the Trump administration’s request to suspend a ruling by U.S. District Judge Charles Breyer, permitting him to continue the deployment of the California National Guard in Los Angeles.

Trump expressed his appreciation to the appeals court for its ruling.

“The Appeals Court decided last night that I can deploy the National Guard to ensure the safety of our cities, specifically Los Angeles,” Trump shared on his Truth Social page. “Had I not sent the Military into Los Angeles, that city would be in flames right now. We saved L.A. Thank you for the Decision!!!”

Breyer asserted that Trump had acted unconstitutionally by federalizing components of the California National Guard to assist in protecting Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents and federal property, referencing the 10th Amendment.