A bouquet of white flowers placed outside the headquarters of the United States Agency for International Development, or USAID, is pictured, Friday, Feb. 7, 2025, in Washington. (AP Photo/Manuel Balce Ceneta)2025-02-13T14:08:16Z WASHINGTON (AP) Employees at the U.S. Agency for International Development are asking a federal judge on Thursday to keep blocking an effort by President Donald Trumps administration meant to pull all but a fraction of worldwide staffers off the job.U.S. District Judge Carl Nichols, who was nominated by Trump, handed the administration and billionaire ally Elon Musk a setback last week by temporarily halting plans that would have put thousands of workers on leave and given those abroad only 30 days to return to the United States at government expense. Nichols order was set to expire by the end of the day.Two associations representing federal employees want him to continue it as well as suspending Trumps freeze on almost all foreign assistance. The presidents pause has shut down clinics, emergency water deliveries and almost all other of the thousands of U.S.-funded aid and development programs around the globe, USAID workers and humanitarian groups say. While the administration and Musks cost-cutting initiative, the so-called Department of Government Efficiency, have taken aim at other agencies, they have moved most destructively against USAID, asserting without evidence that its work is wasteful and out of line with Trumps agenda. In a court filing, deputy USAID head Pete Marocco argued that insubordination made it impossible for the new administration to undertake a close review of aid programs without first pushing almost all USAID staffers off the job and halting aid and development work. He did not provide evidence for his assertion. USAID staffers, in court filings, have denied being insubordinate. They said they were doing their best to carry out what they describe as vague and confusing orders, some of which were said to come from a Musk associate and other outsiders.Agency supporters told Democratic senators on Wednesday that the shutdown along with other administration steps, including revoking USAIDs lease on its Washington headquarters was really about eradicating USAID before lawmakers or the courts could stop it. The employee groups, Democratic lawmakers and others argue that without congressional approval, Trump lacks the power to shut USAID or end its programs. His team says the power of courts or lawmakers to stand in the way is limited at best.The Presidents powers in the realm of foreign affairs are generally vast and unreviewable, government lawyers said in court documents. LINDSAY WHITEHURST Whitehurst covers the Supreme Court, legal affairs and criminal justice for The Associated Press in Washington, D.C. Past stops include Salt Lake City, New Mexico and Indiana. twitter mailto ELLEN KNICKMEYER Knickmeyer covers foreign policy and national security for The Associated Press. She is based in Washington, D.C. twitter RSShttps://feedx.net https://feedx.site