A US FEDERAL judge ordered an immediate halt on Tuesday to the shutdown of the main US aid agency by Elon Musk's Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE).

Musk and DOGE's dismantlement of the US Agency for International Development (USAID) "likely violated the United States Constitution in multiple ways," District Court Judge Theodore Chuang said.

Chuang issued his ruling in response to a lawsuit brought by current and former USAID employees and contractors challenging the legal authority of the billionaire tapped by President Donald Trump to slash federal government spending and jobs.

They argued that under the Appointments Clause of the US Constitution, Musk needed to be confirmed by the Senate in order to exercise his authority.

The judge agreed, saying that allowing Musk to continue to wield enormous power over the government "would open the door to an end-run around the Appointments Clause" and reduce it to "nothing more than a technical formality."

Chuang said the actions by Musk and DOGE had violated the authority of Congress to decide when and how to close down USAID, where most of the workers have been placed on leave or fired since January. The agency was created by Congress in 1961.

Secretary of State Marco Rubio said last week that the United States was cancelling 83% of programs at USAID, which distributes humanitarian aid around the world, with health and emergency programs in around 120 countries.

The judge's ruling was the latest legal setback to Trump's cost-cutting and government staff reduction drive. Another judge recently ordered the rehiring of thousands of probationary workers in multiple agencies who had been fired by Musk's DOGE.

Chuang ordered that access to email and other electronic systems be reinstated to current USAID employees and contractors.

He said the agency should also be allowed to reoccupy its Washington headquarters unless the court receives confirmation from the acting administrator of USAID or another authorized officer of the United States that the building is being permanently closed.

Trump signed an executive order in January demanding a freeze on all US foreign aid to allow time to assess overseas expenses.

- AFP

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Judge orders halt to Elon Musk's shutdown of US aid agency