A judge halts the loyalty question to Trump for aspiring officials
How would you help implement the president's policies?
The question appeared in more than 70,000 selection processes for federal jobs, according to the unions that brought the case to court.
Now a judge has ordered to suspend it.
The origin of the question
The Office of Personnel Management of the United States introduced the questionnaire after an executive order signed by Donald Trump in January 2025. Aspiring candidates for certain positions had to write a short essay explaining how they would contribute to developing the Administration's policy priorities.
The Government argued that this allowed for evaluating the motivation and capability of the candidates. The unions interpreted it very differently.
The problem: the public service must be politically neutral
Three public employee organizations went to court. Among them was the American Federation of Government Employees. Their argument was that the question allowed for discrimination against candidates based on their political opinions and clashed with the traditional American principle of a professional public service based on merit.
What the judge has decided
George O'Toole, federal judge in Boston, has suspended the use of the question while the litigation continues. His ruling considers that the unions have sufficient chances to demonstrate that the practice violates both public employment legislation and rights protected by the First Amendment.
The legal problem is not simply in asking about the Government's policies. It lies in using that response within a process that legally cannot assess affiliation or political loyalty.
More than 70,000 job offers
The dimension of the case has increased due to the extent of the questionnaire. According to the unions, it appeared in more than 70,000 job postings.
The Government's version
The Administration maintains that the response was voluntary. It also denies that candidates were asked to demonstrate personal loyalty to the president.
According to its position, it was about assessing how a candidate could professionally contribute to the Executive's official priorities.
The judge has not yet definitively resolved the substance of the case. He has ordered to stop the use of the question while its legality is analyzed.
A broader battle for control of the Administration
Since his return to the White House, Trump has tried to increase presidential power to modify the federal structure, reduce positions, and replace certain labor protections. His critics fear that this process will weaken the political independence of officials.
His defenders respond that an elected president has the right to demand that the Administration implement his program.