DOGE's USAID shutdown was likely unconstitutional, federal judge says

• U.S. District Judge Theodore D. Chuang ordered DOGE to restore USAID emails, payments, security notifications, electronic systems and more within seven days of his order.
• Chuang also barred the federal government from terminating employees or placing them on leave, closing USAID buildings and shutting down USAID information technology systems.

Context: DOGE gutted the world's largest humanitarian aid organization in January and February and Musk labeled the agency as corrupt and wasteful.

• Musk and DOGE were sued by 26 current or recently terminated USAID employees and contractors, who alleged the federal government's actions were unconstitutional.

State of play: The judge barred Musk and DOGE from taking other actions relating to USAID "without the express authorization of a USAID official with legal authority to take or approve the action."

• The constitutional Appointments Clause "would be reduced to nothing more than a technical formality" if the president's advisers could go beyond their traditional role, Chuang wrote.

Go deeper: What is USAID, the federal agency the Trump admin is gutting

Editor's note: This story has been updated with details throughout.