President Donald Trump’s efforts to carry out a health agency overhaul and cut bloated bureaucracy have been blocked by a liberal activist.
A Rhode Island federal judge appointed during the Biden era has derailed the president’s plans to streamline the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS).
The Trump administration’s plans sought to fire 10,000 unnecessary bureaucrats and eliminate duplicate agencies.
U.S. District Judge Melissa DuBose in Providence issued an injunction stopping HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s plan to consolidate 28 divisions into 15 and close half of the department’s regional offices.
“We are realigning the organization with its core mission and our new priorities in reversing the chronic disease epidemic,” Kennedy declared.
The restructuring was part of President Trump’s broader government efficiency initiative to cut wasteful spending and reduce the size of the federal government.
The injunction came after 19 Democrat-controlled states and Washington D.C. filed a lawsuit challenging the administration’s authority to implement such changes.
These blue states argued that the Trump administration violated the Constitution by bypassing Congress.
Kennedy’s plan aimed to refocus HHS on its core mission of addressing America’s chronic disease epidemic rather than maintaining a bloated bureaucracy resistant to change.
The restructuring would have saved taxpayers millions while eliminating redundant positions that have accumulated over decades.
HHS spokesperson Andrew Nixon expressed disappointment with the ruling while reaffirming the administration’s commitment to reform.
“HHS remains committed to modernizing a health workforce that for too long prioritized institutional preservation over meaningful public health impact. We are reviewing the decision and considering next steps,” Nixon said.
Judge DuBose, who was nominated by Joe Biden in 2021, ordered the administration to halt all restructuring efforts and file a compliance report by July 11.
Her ruling claims the executive branch lacks the authority to reorganize agencies created by Congress.
Democrat officials celebrated the ruling, with New York Attorney General Letitia James praising the decision.
Meanwhile, conservative government watchdogs have pointed out that many of the 10,000 positions targeted for elimination perform duplicate functions or administrative tasks that add little value to actual healthcare delivery.
The ruling represents yet another instance of activist judges obstructing President Trump’s attempts to fulfill his campaign promises of draining the swamp and reducing the size of government.
The administration is likely to appeal the decision to a higher court, where conservative judges may agree with arguments supporting executive authority to manage federal agencies efficiently.
Constitutional scholars note that while Congress creates agencies, presidents have historically had broad authority to reorganize them internally.
This latest judicial roadblock continues a pattern of Democrat-appointed judges nationwide using their positions to obstruct the Trump administration’s policy agenda.
