Judge Rules Musk and DOGE Likely Violated Constitution in USAID Shutdown

Federal court halts further dismantling of USAID, citing constitutional breaches and harm to congressional authority.

U.S. District Judge Theodore Chuang issued a preliminary injunction against Elon Musk and the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) for their efforts to dismantle USAID, finding likely violations of the Constitution.
The judge ruled that Musk's actions as de facto leader of DOGE violated the Appointments Clause, as he exercised significant authority without Senate confirmation.
Chuang emphasized that DOGE's actions undermined congressional authority by bypassing legislative approval to dismantle the federally established aid agency.
The injunction requires DOGE to restore access to systems for USAID employees and prohibits further actions to close the agency, including firing staff and deleting records.
The Trump administration plans to appeal the ruling, framing it as judicial interference, while legal experts view it as a landmark decision upholding constitutional checks and balances.