A federal judge in Virginia has issued a ruling that temporarily blocks the Trump administration’s attempt to dismiss more than a dozen employees from intelligence agencies who were involved in initiatives promoting diversity, equity, and inclusion. The court’s decision, delivered by U.S. District Judge Anthony J. Trenga, affects personnel from the CIA and the Office of the Director of National Intelligence who were facing termination.
In a preliminary injunction granted on Monday, Judge Trenga stipulated that these agencies must halt the dismissal of 19 employees who had taken legal action against their proposed terminations. The judge’s written decision, released on Tuesday, mandates the government to allow the employees opportunities for reassignment or to contest their dismissals in accordance with the employment regulations applicable to their respective agencies.
Judge Trenga, who was appointed by Republican President George W. Bush, emphasized that the affected employees should either remain on paid administrative leave or be reinstated to their positions. He also indicated his intention to review any termination decisions to ensure compliance with avenues for appeal or reassignment.
The proposed firings were part of the Trump administration’s broader efforts to eliminate DEI-related activities across federal departments. This legal case surfaces amidst initiatives led by Trump and his ally Elon Musk within the Department of Government Efficiency, aimed at reducing governmental personnel numbers during a federal reorganization.
According to the lawsuit filed by the employees, their assignments to DEI programs were claimed to be temporary, with additional duties performed as intelligence officers. The lawsuit does not disclose their identities. Certain intelligence units, including the CIA and NSA, have already initiated voluntary resignation offers, and the CIA has indicated plans for potential layoffs among recently recruited staff.
Nonetheless, the intelligence sector has not experienced as severe reductions as have been observed in other federal entities such as the U.S. Agency for International Development or the Department of Education. In a related development, billionaire Elon Musk paid a visit to CIA headquarters at the behest of Director John Ratcliffe, engaging in discussions about his strategies to transform other governmental bodies and their possible application to the CIA. This follows Musk’s prior meeting with NSA officials.
Both the CIA and the Office of the Director of National Intelligence have refrained from commenting on the judicial ruling, with the CIA’s spokesperson declining to issue a statement and the ODNI’s spokesperson not responding to inquiries.