USAID To Restore! Major Blow To Elon Musk's Government Efficiency Plan, Judge Rules Dismantling 'Violation Of Law'

New Delhi: Dismantling of the US Agency for International Development (USAID) likely violated the Constitution, a federal judge ruled on Tuesday before prohibiting billionaire Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) from making further cuts to the agency. US District Judge Theodore Chuang in Maryland ordered the Trump administration to restore email and computer access to all USAID employees, including those placed on administrative leave. The federal judge ruling dealt a massive blow to the Trump administration's efforts to cut foreign aid. 

The lawsuit specifically named Musk as a defendant in the preliminary injunction, which was requested by lawyers representing USAID employees and contractors. The move to dismantle the six-decade-old aid agency was part of a broader effort to eliminate billions of dollars in foreign aid spending.

Notably, in February, the Trump administration placed nearly all of USAID's worldwide staff on leave, notifying at least 1,600 US-based staffers that they were being fired. The move was part of a broader push to cancel billions of dollars in foreign spending, which Trump claimed was "wasteful" and advanced a "liberal agenda". Lawyers for USAID employees and contractors requested the order, citing the negative impact of the cuts on the agency's ability to provide critical aid worldwide.

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Restoration Of Access Ordered

US District Judge Theodore Chuang in Maryland ordered the Trump administration to restore email and computer access to all USAID employees, including those placed on administrative leave. The lawsuit singled out Musk as a defendant covered by the preliminary injunction. Meanwhile, experts deemed the ruling as a massive setback for the Trump administration's efforts to reshape the US aid agenda.

The court's order came up amidst the ongoing debate over the role of US foreign aid in promoting global stability and development. Several critics argued that the Trump administration's cuts will undermine US influence and cede ground to other global powers.