Federal Judge Blocks Elon Musk’s Efforts to Dismantle USAID, Citing Constitutional Violations

On March 18, 2025, Elon Musk and the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) were prevented from continuing their attempts to dismantle the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) by a preliminary injunction issued by a federal judge in Maryland. According to U.S. District Judge Theodore Chuang, their actions most likely went against the Appointments Clause and the Separation of Powers, among other constitutional principles.

USAID employees, who were represented by State Democracy Defenders Action, filed the lawsuit, claiming that Musk’s position as President Trump’s top adviser did not give him the constitutional right to shut down agencies on his own. The judge underlined that Congress is the only body with the authority to close federal agencies and appropriate funds.

The White House has declared that it will appeal the ruling, claiming that “rogue judges” went too far. This decision comes after a separate injunction halting a transgender military ban and other court challenges to Trump administration policies.