US Appeals Court Allows Trump to Remove Special Counsel Amid Legal Battle

A US federal appeals court has temporarily permitted President Donald Trump to dismiss Hampton Dellinger, the head of the independent Office of Special Counsel (OSC), amid a legal dispute over the mass firings of federal employees.

The US Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit issued an order on Wednesday granting the Trump administration’s request to stay a lower court ruling that had blocked Dellinger’s removal. The court stated that the administration had met the stringent requirements for a stay pending appeal and would expedite its review of the case.

The dispute stems from Trump’s February decision to fire Dellinger, a Biden appointee, who had been investigating the administration’s controversial dismissal of probationary federal employees. Earlier this month, a district court ruled that Trump’s action violated federal law, which restricts the president’s ability to remove the Special Counsel without cause. However, the appeals court’s decision temporarily overrides that ruling, allowing Dellinger’s removal to take effect while the legal battle continues.

Dellinger has signaled his intention to appeal the ruling to the US Supreme Court, which has previously intervened in the case. His attorneys have urged the courts to prioritize stability at the OSC during the litigation. Meanwhile, the full opinion from the appeals court is expected in the coming weeks, as the legal fight over the independence of the Special Counsel’s office intensifies.