Liberal states launch legal challenge against Trump administration’s sweeping cuts to federal health agency, claiming unconstitutional overreach puts American lives at risk.

At a Glance

• California and 18 other states sued to block HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s directive to eliminate 10,000 positions
• The lawsuit claims the cuts violate the constitution by bypassing Congress and proper administrative procedures
• States argue essential health services including disease monitoring and vaccine programs have been suddenly halted
• Kennedy defends the $1.8 billion annual savings as necessary to eliminate waste and inefficiency
• The HHS restructuring is the subject of the 17th lawsuit filed by California Attorney General Rob Bonta against the Trump administration

Blue States Challenge Trump’s Health Department Overhaul

A coalition of 19 Democrat-led states and the District of Columbia filed a lawsuit challenging the Trump administration’s dramatic reduction in staffing at the Department of Health and Human Services. The legal action, filed in the U.S. District Court for the District of Rhode Island, seeks to reverse Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s directive that terminated 10,000 HHS employees, consolidated department divisions, and ordered the closure of regional offices across the country. The cuts were designed to save approximately $1.8 billion annually but have allegedly thrown critical federal health functions into disarray.

California Attorney General Rob Bonta is leading the effort against what he describes as executive overreach that threatens public health. The lawsuit represents the 17th legal challenge Bonta’s office has launched against the Trump administration since the president took office in January. The states argue the cuts specifically targeted agencies critical to public health and welfare, including the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Food and Drug Administration (FDA), and several other divisions.

Nineteen Democratic-led states plus the District of Columbia sued HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. on Monday, saying his ongoing reorganization of the federal health bureaucracy incapacitated core functions and deprived the states of federal funds and expertise.

The lawsuit… https://t.co/HJPk2gzWKF pic.twitter.com/es5RPXhurL

— Melissa Hallman (@dotconnectinga) May 5, 2025

Constitutional Concerns and Immediate Impacts

The legal filing argues the restructuring violates both constitutional principles and federal administrative law by circumventing congressional authority over budgeting and agency operations. According to the lawsuit, the administration cannot unilaterally decide to not spend funds that were specifically appropriated by Congress for HHS programs. The states claim the cuts represent a deliberate attempt to cripple a department established by legislative action.

“The Trump Administration does not have the power to incapacitate a department that Congress created, nor can it decline to spend funds that were appropriated by Congress for that department”, said Rob Bonta

The lawsuit describes a federal health agency in chaos after the April 1st termination notices were issued. Employees were immediately expelled from their work systems, leaving crucial functions unattended. The complaint documents specific failures including missed vaccine application deadlines, canceled disease testing, abandoned experiments, and suspended partnerships with health organizations. These disruptions allegedly affect everything from food safety inspections to infectious disease surveillance.

Kennedy Defends Restructuring as Necessary Reform

Secretary Kennedy has defended the restructuring as a legal and necessary measure to eliminate waste and direct resources toward his priorities of addressing chronic illness through safe food, clean water, and eliminating environmental toxins. The administration argues the changes align with President Trump’s executive order mandating greater efficiency in federal agencies. Kennedy has acknowledged some terminations may have been mistakes, estimating approximately 20% of cuts could potentially be reconsidered.

Critics, including former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, have condemned the restructuring as “shortsighted,” particularly the closure of the HHS regional office in San Francisco. The lawsuit filed Monday specifically seeks a court declaration that the cuts are illegal, a block on their implementation, and a reversal of terminations already carried out. The plaintiff states claim they are “already suffering consequences” from the actions that are “severe, complicated and potentially irreversible.”