Federal judge shuts down Trump order for mass layoffs during government shutdown



President Donald Trump's order for mass layoffs of federal workers was temporarily halted by a federal judge who said the administration was acting out of political motivation.

Susan Illston, a U.S. district court judge for the Northern District of California, sided on Wednesday with two unions that filed a lawsuit against the layoffs.

'It has a human cost. It's a human cost that cannot be tolerated.'

It's been 15 days since the government shut down.

Illston accused the Trump administration of taking advantage of the "lapse in government spending and government functioning" and acting as if "all bets are off" and "the laws don't apply to them anymore."

Attorneys representing the administration said they would only address procedural questions about jurisdiction.

"You're not making any statement concerning the government’s position on the merits ... whether the [reductions in force] are legal?" Illston asked.

"Not today, your honor," DOJ attorney Elizabeth Hedges replied.

The temporary restraining order halts the mass layoffs planned to be announced by the president on Friday.

"It's very much ready, fire, aim on most of these programs, and it has a human cost. It's a human cost that cannot be tolerated," Illston said.

"I believe that the plaintiffs will demonstrate, ultimately, that what's being done here is both illegal and is in excess of authority," she added.

RELATED: Trump says a very wealthy 'gentleman' offered to pay troops' wages through government shutdown

Democratic Sen. Chris Van Hollen of Maryland praised the ruling in a post on social media.

"A judge just confirmed what has been obvious: Trump's firings of federal workers are politically motivated and likely ILLEGAL," Van Hollen wrote.

"He is weaponizing his shutdown to terrorize federal workers and deprive Americans of the services they provide," he added. "These RIFs should be permanently reversed."

White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt blamed Democrats for the layoffs in previous comments.

"Unfortunately, because the Democrats shut down the government, the president has directed his cabinet, and the Office of Management and Budget is working with agencies across the board to identify where cuts can me made," Leavitt said. "And we believe that layoffs are imminent. They are unfortunately a consequence of this government shutdown."

Illston was nominated by former President Bill Clinton.

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The Rick Burgess Show - LIVE - Oct. 14, 2025 - Ep. 194
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The Rick Burgess Show - LIVE - Oct. 14, 2025 - Ep. 194

Trump says a very wealthy 'gentleman' offered to pay troops' wages through government shutdown



President Donald Trump said that a very wealthy person offered to pay the wages for the military troops if the government shutdown continued.

The president made the comments to reporters on Tuesday as he sat next to Argentine President Javier Milei at the White House.

'This is a position that is being forced upon us by Democrats.'

"I actually have a man who is a very wealthy person ... who called — a donor, a great gentleman. And he said, 'If there's any money necessary, shortfall for the paying of the troops, then I will pay it,’ meaning he will pay it," the president said. "How about that?"

But Trump said he refused the offer.

"I said, ‘Look, we're not going to need it. We're going to take care of our troops,'" he added. "But this was a position that's being forced upon us by Democrats."

Video of the president's statement was widely circulated on social media.

Trump said in a post on Truth Social Saturday that the administration was seeking alternate methods to pay the troops.

"If nothing is done, because of 'Leader' Chuck Schumer and the Democrats, our Brave Troops will miss the paychecks they are rightfully due on October 15th," he posted. "That is why I am using my authority, as Commander in Chief, to direct our Secretary of War, Pete Hegseth, to use all available funds to get our Troops PAID on October 15th."

Department of Homeland Security Sec. Kristi Noem posted on social media that she had secured funding to pay the U.S. Coast Guard.

"While Democrats have played politics with military pay to fight for illegal aliens, the US Coast Guard has been defending our maritime borders, stopping the flow of deadly narcotics and illegal immigration into our country, and countering America's adversaries around the world," she said in part.

RELATED: Mass firings to begin 'in a day or two' over government shutdown, Trump official says

"Thanks to President Trump's leadership and the One Big Beautiful Bill," Noem added, "the brave men and women of the US Coast Guard will not miss a paycheck this week as they continue to carry out their critical homeland security and military missions."

Meanwhile, the Office of Management and Budget has reported that the federal government has laid off more than 4,000 employees during the shutdown.

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'Bring it on': Trump administration to pay military with War Department funds if shutdown continues



Frustration is mounting among federal workers as the government shutdown begins its second week. However, the Trump administration has found a way to continue paying a vital part of the government: the military.

With payday for the military looming on Wednesday and no end to the government shutdown in sight, Trump announced that the Department of War would be pulling extra funds to pay servicemen and women.

'I will not allow the Democrats to hold our Military, and the entire Security of our Nation, HOSTAGE, with their dangerous Government Shutdown.'

Trump blamed the Democrats in Congress for the shutdown after nearly two weeks of leaders refusing to come to the table to pass a clean CR bill.

"If nothing is done, because of 'Leader' Chuck Schumer and the Democrats, our Brave Troops will miss the paychecks they are rightfully due on October 15th. That is why I am using my authority, as Commander in Chief, to direct our Secretary of War, Pete Hegseth, to use all available funds to get our Troops PAID on October 15th. We have identified funds to do this, and Secretary Hegseth will use them to PAY OUR TROOPS," Trump said in a Saturday Truth Social post.

RELATED: 'PAY OUR TROOPS': Trump unveils creative solution to minimize military's shutdown pain

Photo by Celal Gunes/Anadolu via Getty Images

"I will not allow the Democrats to hold our Military, and the entire Security of our Nation, HOSTAGE, with their dangerous Government Shutdown," Trump continued.

Asked for more information regarding Trump's announcement, a Department of War official told Blaze News, "The president has directed the secretary of war to use available funds to pay service members on October 15. The Department of War has identified approximately $8 billion of unobligated research development testing and evaluation funds (RDTE) from the prior fiscal year that will be used to issue mid-month paychecks to service members in the event the funding lapse continues past October 15. We will provide more information as it becomes available.”

Asked for comment, the White House referred Blaze News to the Office of Management and Budget. An OMB spokesperson confirmed the plan, saying, "The military will be paid using pots of R&D money available at DOW for two years."

On Tuesday, Speaker of the House Mike Johnson expressed his confidence in the president's funding plan. He said that Democrats have threatened to challenge the move in court.

"Are Democrats suggesting they want to go to court to STOP PAYCHECKS from being issued to our troops?! BRING IT ON!" Johnson said on X. "I'm grateful for a Commander in Chief who is prioritizing the brave men and women serving in our military — even while Democrats are working and VOTING REPEATEDLY to BLOCK their hard-earned pay."

Without this move by the Department of War and President Trump, the military's pay would likely be suspended with back pay until an appropriations bill is passed. A major piece of legislation, the Antideficiency Act, bars agencies from spending money when it has not been appropriated by Congress.

GovFacts succinctly explains the "central paradox" of the government shutdown as it relates to military spending: "The [Antideficiency Act's] emergency exception legally requires active-duty service members to keep working to protect the nation. But the ADA's core prohibition forbids the government from obligating funds to pay their salaries without an appropriation."

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