United States: Federal authorities have removed Hampton Dellinger, a key government oversight official, following a judicial decision supporting Donald Trump’s authority to dismiss federal employees. Dellinger confirmed his removal but declined to provide further details when speaking to Reuters.
Court Blocks Reinstatement as Legal Review Continues
On Wednesday, the D.C. Circuit Court issued an unsigned order preventing Dellinger’s reinstatement, aligning with Trump’s decision to remove him. The ruling allows the appeals court to assess the case further, while the White House has not yet commented on the matter.
Trump’s Restructuring Efforts Continue
Dellinger, appointed by President Joe Biden, was dismissed on February 7 as part of Trump’s broad administrative overhaul. His removal occurred on the same day that thousands of U.S. Department of Agriculture employees were reinstated following his appeal to the federal employee terminations board.
Trump’s government restructuring, driven in part by financial advisor Elon Musk, has led to:
✔️ Agency dissolutions
✔️ Mass job terminations
✔️ Leadership removals & reassignment of officials
Legal Challenge and Whistleblower Protections
Solicitor General Harris argued that Dellinger’s role as special counsel posed a risk to Trump’s administration, citing his intervention in the dismissal of six probationary employees. However, Judge Amy Berman Jackson previously ruled that Dellinger’s firing was unlawful, stating that allowing Trump to proceed unchecked would give him “a constitutional license to bully officials into doing his will.”
The Office of Special Counsel (OSC), where Dellinger worked, is responsible for:
✔️ Investigating workplace retaliation complaints
✔️ Protecting whistleblowers reporting agency misconduct
✔️ Enforcing the Hatch Act, which restricts political activities by federal employees
Supreme Court Had Previously Blocked Trump’s Move
Before the case reached this stage, the Supreme Court had temporarily blocked Trump from firing Dellinger while lower courts reviewed the matter. Now, as the legal fight unfolds, the latest ruling reinforces Trump’s ability to reshape the federal workforce and remove officials at will, as reported by Reuters.