Trump Administration Seeks Supreme Court Nod to Expedite Federal Layoffs

The Trump administration has escalated its efforts to downsize federal agencies by requesting the Supreme Court to approve immediate layoffs of tens of thousands of workers, as reported by Politico. This emergency appeal challenges a lower court's decision temporarily blocking such actions.

This move is part of a broader initiative by the administration to scale back the federal workforce, following an executive order from February that called for extensive reductions. Previously, the Supreme Court had lifted a similar order in April that halted job cuts at various Cabinet departments.

Judge Susan Illston recently halted the layoffs, citing legal and procedural breaches in the administration's plan. This has led to a legal battle where Democratic states and workers' unions oppose the layoffs, arguing against the administration's methods and the president's overreach.

(With inputs from agencies.)