Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard, left, joined by CIA Director John Ratcliffe, testifies as the House Intelligence Committee holds a hearing on worldwide threats, at the Capitol, in Washington, Wednesday, March 26, 2025. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite)

WASHINGTON (AP) — A federal judge in Virginia blocked the Trump administration's move to fire more than a dozen intelligence agency employees who worked on diversity, equity and inclusion programs.

U.S. District Judge Anthony J. Trenga granted a preliminary injunction Monday that prohibits the CIA and the Office of the Director of National Intelligence from firing 19 workers who challenged their terminations.

In a written decision published Tuesday, Trenga said the government must allow the employees to seek reassignment or appeal their termination as set forth in employment rules governing their agencies.

Trenga, who was nominated by Republican President George W. Bush, said the employees should remain on paid administrative leave or be reinstated. He said he would review decisions to terminate any employees to ensure they had been given a chance to appeal or be reassigned under the order.

The employees were set to be terminated as part of the Trump administration's effort to end DEI programs across the federal government. The lawsuit comes amid a push by Trump and billionaire ally Elon Musk's Department of Government Efficiency to reduce personnel as part of their overhaul of the federal government.

In their lawsuit, the employees argued that their assignments to DEI programs were only temporary and that they also have held other duties as intelligence officers. The employees are not named in the lawsuit.

Intelligence agencies including the CIA and National Security Agency already have offered voluntary resignations to some employees. The CIA also has said it plans to lay off an unknown number of recently hired employees. Still, America's intelligence community hasn't seen some of the deep cuts made to other agencies, like the U.S. Agency for International Development or the Department of Education.

Musk visited CIA headquarters Monday at the invitation of Director John Ratcliffe. The two discussed Musk's work to reshape other agencies and lessons that could be applied to the CIA, according to a statement from the agency.

It comes after Musk met with the leaders of the NSA last month.

A spokesperson for the CIA declined to comment on the legal decision. A spokesperson for ODNI did not respond to a request for comment.

News from © The Associated Press, 2025