Chicago – February 17, 2025
A U.S. judge is expected to decide within a day on a lawsuit that aims to stop Elon Musk’s government team from making changes to major federal agencies. DOGE (Department of Government Efficiency) was created by President Donald Trump to reduce wasteful government spending.
On Monday, U.S. District Judge Tanya Chutkan in Washington, D.C., listened to arguments, even though it was Presidents Day, when federal courts are usually closed. Thirteen Democratic state attorneys general filed an emergency request to stop Musk’s team from accessing government computer systems and from firing workers at seven major agencies.
The attorneys general said their states could lose important programs, including those related to education. They also claimed that Musk’s team was using information from government systems to shut down programs and lay off employees.
Judge Chutkan said she found some of the claims “troubling” but needed more facts before making a decision. She also questioned whether the states had proven that there was an immediate danger requiring urgent action. However, she noted that if the states won their case later, she could order the affected programs to be restarted.
