A federal appeals court just gave Elon Musk and the Trump administration the green light to keep demolishing USAID.
At least, for now.
The court said Musk’s role may be “unconventional,” but that doesn’t make it unconstitutional.
Just because “that’s weird!” doesn’t mean President Trump isn’t allowed to do it.
Just because DOGE is new, doesn’t mean it’s not allowed.
And DOGE is moving fast.
Employees are out and a merger with the State Department is already in motion.
Meanwhile, 26 USAID employees are suing, arguing Musk isn’t even officially in charge.
Translation: “Just because Trump is in charge, and he can appoint whoever he wants, that doesn’t mean Musk can be in charge!” They’re wasting court time and money with these lawsuits with nonsense.
These people sure are tiring, aren’t they?
🚨JUST ANNOUNCED: The 4th circuit has officially cleared the way for Elon Musk and DOGE to continue operating in USAID. Winning! Thanks Trump! Thanks Elon and DOGE! pic.twitter.com/s1Q7UZcbQ3
— AJ Huber (@Huberton) March 28, 2025
The Hill reports:
A federal appeals court on Friday enabled Elon Musk and the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) to resume efforts to dismantle the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID).
ADVERTISEMENTIn a win for the Trump administration, the 4th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals temporarily lifted a lower ruling that found Musk was exercising enough independent authority to require Senate confirmation under the Constitution’s Appointments Clause.
“While defendants’ role and actions related to USAID are not conventional, unconventional does not necessarily equal unconstitutional,” U.S. Circuit Judge Marvin Quattlebaum wrote.
“And none of this is to say that plaintiffs will not be able to develop evidence of unconstitutional conduct as the case progresses. Time will tell,” he added.
The Trump administration has quickly looked to eliminate USAID as Musk and the president claim the foreign aid agency is rife with fraud, terminating or placing on leave thousands of employees within weeks of the inauguration. This week, the administration formally began seeking to merge the agency with the State Department.
Twenty-six current and former USAID employees are suing Musk, contesting the administration’s position that he has no actual independent authority and didn’t ratify the decisions to dismantle the agency. The administration asserts the billionaire is not a formal part of DOGE and is instead a senior adviser to the president within the White House.
Earlier this month, U.S. District Judge Theodore Chuang rejected that argument based on media reports and some of Musk’s own statements. Finding that some of the actions were not approved by USAID personnel, the judge indefinitely blocked Musk and DOGE personnel from shutting down the agency from the outside. Chaung is an appointee of former President Obama.
And then this happens:
JUST NOW: State Department is officially closing USAID, remaining staffers are fired. pic.twitter.com/5wjxdFo13o
— Ian Jaeger (@IanJaeger29) March 28, 2025
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