U.S. District Judge Tanya Chutkan declined to issue a restraining order against Elon Musk and his Department of Government Efficiency on Friday, saying the request brought by over a dozen states was overly broad.
The temporary restraining order on Musk and DOGE was requested by the 14 states that filed a lawsuit against the entity and its billionaire head on Thursday. The states requested Musk and DOGE be immediately blocked from making any changes at any federal agencies. Chutkan, who is a familiar villain in Trumpworld after overseeing the election interference case against the president, said the states failed to show that they would be harmed in the absence of restrictions on Musk.
"The order you’re requesting is incredibly broad,” Chutkan told the states' attorneys in a hearing on Friday. "It would essentially bring government to a halt."
While previous orders granted by judges have restricted DOGE's access to data and payment systems at the U.S. Treasury, Chutkan said the states were being too vague in their request.
“You’re essentially asking me to shut down the government,” Chutkan said. “I can’t give prophylactic TROs."
The states seeking to stop Musk will have another shot at getting a restraining order while their lawsuit plays out. Chutkan requested they file another request by Sunday afternoon that better defines the harm that Musk and DOGE could cause.
