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Judge Tanya S. Chutkan (D.D.C.) on Monday granted in part a motion to dismiss in a lawsuit challenging Elon Musk’s role in the Department of Government Efficiency. The court allowed Appointments Clause and ultra vires claims to proceed but dismissed Administrative Procedure Act and separation-of-powers claims. (Memorandum Opinion.)
Judge Colleen McMahon (S.D.N.Y.) on Monday denied the government’s request to block republication of the video depositions of two former DOGE employees in a lawsuit over canceled humanities grants. She ruled that there was no sufficient showing of harm to justify restricting public access to testimony about officials’ conduct. (Opinion and Order.) (NYT.)
Journalists at Voice of America sued the U.S. Agency for Global Media and its leadership in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia on Monday. The suit alleges that the Trump administration has unlawfully sought to control VOA’s content by censoring coverage and promoting pro-administration messaging in violation of the First Amendment and the APA. (Complaint.) (NYT.)
A coalition of preservation and architectural groups on Monday filed a lawsuit against the Kennedy Center’s board in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia requesting a preliminary injunction to halt any destruction or significant redesign of the center. The suit claims that planned renovations and a multiyear closure unlawfully bypass required federal review and approvals and threaten irreparable harm to the historic site. (Complaint.) (WaPo.) The New York Times reported on legal challenges to President Trump’s construction plans across the nation’s capital. (NYT.)
President Trump announced on Monday that high-level negotiations with Iran have begun, stating that “if it goes well, we’re going to end up . . . settling this, otherwise we’ll just keep bombing our little hearts out.” (WaPo.)
According to the New York Times, Pentagon officials are considering a potential deployment of thousands of airborne troops to support possible U.S. operations in Iran. (NYT.)
The Education Department has launched two new investigations into Harvard University relating to antisemitism and admissions practices. (NYT.) See a previous Roundup for background on the Justice Department’s latest lawsuit against Harvard.
The U.S. District Court for the District of New Jersey, with the apparent acquiescence of the Department of Justice, appointed career prosecutor Robert Frazer to serve as interim U.S. attorney for the district. (Standing Order.) (NYT.) For background on the office’s recent leadership turmoil, see a previous Roundup.
The Senate confirmed Sen. Markwayne Mullin as secretary of the Department of Homeland Security in a 54-45 vote. (WSJ.)
ICE agents deployed to several U.S. airports on Monday to assist Transportation Security Administration officers in managing long security lines amid the ongoing DHS shutdown. President Trump said Monday that he would consider deploying the National Guard if the ICE presence proves insufficient. (WSJ.)
The Pentagon announced new restrictions on journalists’ access, including closing its in-building press workspace and requiring escorts, after a federal judge ruled its prior media policy unconstitutional on Friday. The department said it would appeal while revising the rules to comply with the court’s order. (NYT.) See yesterday’s Roundup for background on the ruling.
Reuters reports that the U.S. Security and Exchange Commission’s former enforcement chief resigned last Monday after clashing with agency leadership over the handling of major cases, including those involving figures tied to President Trump. (Reuters.)
Pending Interim Order Applications Involving the U.S. Government in the Supreme Court
Blanche v. Perlmutter: The government filed an emergency application on October 27 requesting the Supreme Court to stay a district court interlocutory injunction that temporarily reinstated Shira Perlmutter to her role as Register of Copyrights while litigation over her removal continues. Chief Justice Roberts formally set a deadline of November 10 for a response to the application. Perlmutter submitted a response on November 10. Blanche submitted a reply on November 12. The Court deferred the application for stay on November 28 pending the Court’s decisions in Trump v. Slaughter and Trump v. Cook.
Trump v. Cook: The government filed an emergency application on September 18 requesting the Supreme Court to stay a preliminary injunction issued by a district court that blocked President Trump from removing Federal Reserve Governor Lisa Cook. Cook filed an opposition to the request on the same day. The Chief Justice formally set a deadline of September 25 for a response to the application. Cook filed a response on September 25. On October 1, the Court deferred action on the stay application pending oral argument in January 2026 and established a supplemental briefing schedule. Additional amicus briefs were filed on October 29. Both sides filed supplemental briefs on November 19 and the Court heard oral argument on Jan. 21, 2026.
Noem v. Doe: The government filed an application on February 26 requesting the Supreme Court stay pending appeal of a preliminary injunction issued by a district court preliminarily enjoining Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem from terminating temporary protected status designation for Syria. The government asked the Court to construe the application as a petition for a writ of certiorari before judgment and grant the petition. On March 16, the Court consolidated the case with a challenge to the Department of Homeland Security’s termination of Temporary Protected Status designations for Haiti and granted certiorari before judgment of the consolidated cases while deferring action on the government’s request for a stay.
Trump v. Miot: The government filed an application on March 11 requesting the Supreme Court to stay a lower court order postponing then-Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem’s decision to terminate temporary protected status designation for Haiti. The government also asked the Court to treat the application as a petition for a writ of certiorari before judgment and grant the petition.