Washington DC - The US Supreme Court cleared the way on Tuesday for President Donald Trump to begin carrying out mass firings of federal workers.

The court, in an unsigned order, lifted a block imposed by a lower court on Trump's plans to potentially lay off tens of thousands of government employees.

US District Court Judge Susan Illston had paused the planned sweeping layoffs in May on the grounds that the moves required a green light from Congress.

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A coalition of labor unions, non-profit groups, and others had sued the Trump administration, arguing that it had exceeded its authority by ordering mass firings and agency reforms without congressional approval.

After returning to the White House in January, Trump directed federal agencies to prepare sweeping workforce reduction plans as part of wider efforts by the then-Elon Musk-headed Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) to downsize the government.

In a February 11 executive order, the Republican president called for a "critical transformation of the Federal bureaucracy" and directed agencies to cull workers not designated essential.

The Supreme Court said, "the Government is likely to succeed on its argument that the Executive Order and Memorandum are lawful."

But the justices said they were not taking a position at this point on the legality of specific agency reorganization plans, which will continue to be the subject of legal battles.

"The plans themselves are not before this Court, at this stage, and we thus have no occasion to consider whether they can and will be carried out consistent with the constraints of law," said Justice Sonia Sotomayor, one of three liberals on the top court.

"I join the Court's stay because it leaves the District Court free to consider those questions," Sotomayor said.

Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson, an appointee of former Democratic President Joe Biden, lodged the sole dissent among the nine justices on the court.

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"For some reason, this Court sees fit to step in now and release the President's wrecking ball at the outset of this litigation," Jackson said.

"Under our Constitution, Congress has the power to establish administrative agencies and detail their functions.

"Thus, over the past century, Presidents who have attempted to reorganize the Federal Government have first obtained authorization from Congress to do so.

"While Presidents possess some discretion to reduce federal employment, they may not fundamentally restructure the Federal Government all on their own."

Trump has moved to fire tens of thousands of government employees and slash programs – targeting diversity initiatives and eliminating the US humanitarian aid agency USAID and various other departments.