Supreme Court Blocks Trump’s Attempt to Fire Whistleblower Investigator

• Supreme Court delays Trump’s attempt to fire whistleblower investigator Hampton Dellinger.
• Justices leave lower court’s temporary block in place until February 26.
• Legal battle over Dellinger’s dismissal likely to return to the Supreme Court.

The Supreme Court on Friday rejected President Donald Trump’s attempt to immediately remove Hampton Dellinger, the head of the Office of Special Counsel, allowing him to stay in his role until at least next week.

By refusing to grant Trump’s emergency appeal, the conservative-leaning court effectively sided with Dellinger, who was appointed by former President Joe Biden in 2024 to serve a five-year term. Despite this, Trump’s administration attempted to oust him via a brief email shortly after returning to office.

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This marks the first Supreme Court case tied to Trump’s flurry of executive actions since his return to the White House last month. Legal battles over additional firings, immigration policies, and Elon Musk’s government contracts are simultaneously progressing through lower courts.

In an unsigned order, the justices put the case on hold until February 26, when a lower court’s temporary pause on Dellinger’s dismissal expires. A district court hearing will then determine whether the freeze should be extended.

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However, the ruling did not resolve the broader legal questions surrounding the case, setting the stage for further litigation. Four justices—two conservatives and two liberals—dissented from the decision.

The immediate issue before the court was whether to overturn the lower court’s temporary block on Dellinger’s firing. While the Supreme Court declined to intervene for now, a subsequent ruling from the lower court could bring the case back before the justices if the Department of Justice chooses to appeal.

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