A federal judge has ordered six U.S. government agencies to reinstate thousands of probationary workers who were fired as part of President Donald Trump’s efforts to shrink the federal workforce.

The ruling, issued by Judge William Alsup of the U.S. District Court in San Francisco, found that the administration’s justification of “poor performance” for the mass layoffs was a “sham” to bypass legal requirements.

The lawsuit, filed by employee unions, successfully challenged the dismissals at the Treasury, Veterans Affairs, Agriculture, Defense, Energy, and Interior departments, marking yet another legal setback for Trump’s sweeping government overhaul. 

The White House swiftly condemned the ruling, with Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt calling it an “absurd and unconstitutional order” that undermines the president’s authority.

Trump’s administration has aggressively pursued workforce cuts since his return to office, with recent moves to halve staffing at the Education Department.

The ruling, however, reaffirmed that while agencies have the legal right to reduce staffing, the process must follow proper procedures. Despite mounting legal challenges, Trump remains largely unopposed in Washington, as his Republican-controlled Congress moves to enshrine his efforts into law.