Federal judge blocks Trump admin from dismantling 3 agencies

SUMMARY

A federal judge has blocked President Trump from dismantling three government agencies—the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS), the Minority Business Development Agency (MBDA), and the Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service (FMCS). The ruling came after nearly two dozen Democrat-led states sued to keep the agencies alive. Judge John McConnell, an Obama appointee, claimed the closures violated the separation of powers, arguing only Congress has the authority to eliminate agencies or cut their funding. Trump’s legal team argued the executive had the right to streamline bloated bureaucracy, but McConnell sided with the states, insisting the closures would cause “certain harm.” He had previously blocked Trump’s federal funding freeze in January. Despite the ruling, Trump’s allies say this is more political obstruction from the bench. As Press Secretary Leavitt noted earlier this year, Trump’s mission remains clear: cut waste, restore accountability, and drain the swamp.