Category: National

(CHICAGO) — Janice Will was diagnosed in 2012 with Parkinson’s, a condition that causes parts of the brain to deteriorate, causing tremors and balance problems.

“When she broke her femur and it was close to the artery…it could have been lights out,” Brandon Will, Janice’s son, said about his mother.

Brandon, who lives with his mother near Chicago, Illinois, soon realized his mom needed 24/7 access to care.

Since then, Janice, who is now 73, has seen the emotional, physical and financial strain of needing care and spoke to ABC News about often feeling like a burden to her son.

“He likes to tell me I’m not a burden, but I feel like a burden because he would have been on a career in New York…he sort of edited his dream to be different, by including me.”

Brandon, 42, reminds his mom that she is not weighing him down, telling her, “Parkinson’s is the burden. It’s one we share.”

“I think people get to these points where there is an illness or something that comes earlier than you’d expect. You realize how many systems aren’t in place,” Brandon told ABC News.

Janice and Brandon’s story mirrors the struggles many Americans are forced to reckon with when a loved one falls ill.

In the U.S., 48 million people have taken on the role of becoming a caregiver to a family member — with little to no financial help, according to Susan Reinhard, formerly the senior vice president of AARP’s Public Policy Institute and chief strategist for the organization.

“There are 48 million family caregivers who are unpaid. And if you did have to pay them, it would be $600 billion. I keep emphasizing the billion dollars because it’s quite amazing. It’s more than all out-of-pocket spending in the United States on health care,” Reinhard told ABC News.

Reinhard said that caregivers need support to avoid a financial crisis, saying the services many seek are provided through the state and federal program called Medicaid, but access and resources vary state by state.

And while help is out there, Brandon and his mom could only access the Medicaid benefits they needed in Illinois, moving from Michigan to be able to do so.

In Illinois, Brandon applied through Medicaid to get paid as a familial caregiver. However, he only gets paid for 19 hours a week, even though he provides around-the-clock care for his mom.

“I’ll hand her her clothes in the morning, help her pick out an outfit…just ‘cause she can’t, at this point, stand in front of the closet.”

His hourly rate is less than the state’s minimum wage.

Brandon and Janice are still researching and applying for as many benefits as they can to stay afloat. They are currently using the Meals on Wheels program in their area and are looking for a part-time caregiver so Brandon can focus on his career outside of care work.

However, he says the state and federal program is already stretched thin. “There’s like 20,000 people on the list in Illinois who are like us, who qualify for a home health aide. And they just aren’t available.”

In January, Brandon and Janice Will hosted an open mic, sharing stories through the viewpoints of those living with caregiving, disability, illness and aging.Now, Brandon Will has concerns following the Trump administration’s executive orders to remove diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts.

“With these orders to kind of remove all the DEIA. This administration, they added the A to the end of it that was never there and it’s for accessibility,” Brandon told ABC News. Brandon said his and his mother’s fears spurred him to start the open mic reading series.

“I think anybody who is dealing with disability or aging or caregiving knows that like willpower only gets you so far. You know, like you need it. It’s crucial. But, you know, you can’t really get anywhere without a community,” Brandon said.

To caregivers — even minimal resources can be crucial while juggling two or more jobs. An AARP report highlighted that 60% of family caregivers are working jobs in addition to being caregivers; 40% are men, but, at 60%, it is mainly women taking on this role. And on top of having a job and doing care work, 30% of those caregivers take care of their own children, too.

People like Ty Lewis.

In an apartment complex just outside of Los Angeles, Lewis, 45, and her husband are caring for Ty’s mother, Gertrude Jordan.

Jordan, 80, was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s nearly 10 years ago, a disease 6.9 million Americans are living with. Lewis explained watching her mom’s slow progression throughout the years has been hard. “As a woman, it kind of shakes you. It does something to you because it’s just like … that’s your mom, the woman that gave birth to you.”

Lewis told ABC News her mom still receives a pension of $66,000 annually from her years of teaching –but it’s not enough. Her care each month costs more than $6,000.

“Last year was $90,000,” Lewis said about the annual cost of her mother’s care in 2023. “She only made $66,000. She doesn’t have it. Her savings are depleted. Currently, we are not getting any support because they keep saying my mom makes too much money. Just recently, my mom’s balance was $3.14.”

The financial strain cuts deep into both families. But it’s not just about the money. Each caregiver acknowledged the emotional and physical challenges they face daily — adding to the difficulties of the job.

“Caregiving has shifted things in me. Because it’s not really happening in everyone’s home or you don’t see it, people really don’t understand the magnitude of what’s coming,” Lewis told ABC News.

In December, Lewis went to Capitol Hill to advocate for the Older Americans Act (OAA), which targets older adults who are in greatest need by improving support for family caregivers and direct care workers and expands healthy aging programs. The Senate passed reauthorization for OAA in December and the bill is currently pending in the House.

Lewis also is pushing for care givers to be able to qualify for Medicaid. “I want it to look the same from state to state for every caregiver,” Lewis told ABC News.

AARP’s Reinhard warned Americans, saying, “If we do not help family caregivers, if they can no longer do what they’re doing, then we’re going to have a huge cost problem. There is definitely a care crisis in America right now.”

Taking each day in stride, Lewis hopes to spread awareness on the struggles caregivers face daily, documenting her journey with her mother by posting clips on social media.

“I want people to know that they can find joy in the journey. That’s my whole mission. And so, while it is hard, I want to show people that it’s hard, but it’s doable. It’s hard, but it’s beautiful.”

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(LOS ANGELES) — One of the strongest storms of the season slammed fire-ravaged Los Angeles with heavy rain on Thursday, sending streams of mud and debris across roadways and sweeping a fire department vehicle off a Malibu road into the ocean, authorities said. 

A member of the Los Angeles Fire Department was inside the vehicle when it was swept off the road by a large debris flow and into the ocean, according to the department.

“Fortunately, the member was able to exit his vehicle and reach safety with minor injuries. He was transported to a local hospital as a precaution,” spokesperson Erik Scott said.

In the Southern California city of San Juan Capistrano, two people were rescued early Friday after getting trapped in the fast-moving San Juan Creek, the Orange County Fire Authority said. They were holding onto trees and bushes to try to avoid getting swept away, the fire authority said.

“One of the victims, who had been dragged downstream by the swift current, jumped into the arms of the helicopter rescuer,” the fire authority said.

The atmospheric river dumped 6.34 inches of rain in Los Angeles County, prompting mudslides in the burn scar areas from last month’s devastating Palisades Fire, Los Angeles ABC station KABC reported.

Videos captured by KABC showed bulldozers pushing streams of muddy sludge out of the roads and firefighters trudging through nearly waist-deep swamps of water and mud.

The storm also brought a line of severe thunderstorms with 70 mph wind gusts to Los Angeles County, and a possible tornado hit a mobile home park near Oxnard, California, about 60 miles from LA.

LA Mayor Karen Bass said the city prepared for the storm by clearing catch basins of fire debris, offering residents over 6,500 sandbags, setting up over 7,500 feet of concrete barriers, and having systems in place to capture polluted runoff.

Sheriff’s deputies helped residents prepare with sandbags and passed out mud and debris safety tips, Los Angeles County Sheriff Robert Luna said at a news conference Wednesday. “Our homeless outreach teams … are actively notifying individuals living in flood-prone areas like the LA River, Coyote Creek and other key waterways, urging them to relocate.”

Evacuation warnings were announced for parts of fire burn zones, including areas impacted by the Palisades Fire, and an evacuation order was issued for parts of Sierra Madre affected by the Eaton Fire, according to KABC.

All Malibu schools were closed Thursday and Friday, according to the Santa Monica-Malibu Unified School District.

The sheriff urged residents to prepare in the event they needed to evacuate.

“Unfortunately, we’ve witnessed numerous, numerous instances in the past of swift-water rescues where people were caught in dangerous, fast-moving water, and obviously, we want to prevent that,” he said.

“Nothing that you have back home is worth your life. If you decide to stay in your property in an evacuated area, debris from the burn scar areas and storm may impede roads, and we may not be able to reach you,” he warned.

Before pummeling LA, the storm first hit Northern California, bringing rain and flash flooding to the San Francisco Bay area.

Further north, the same storm system brought whiteout conditions and car crashes to Interstate 84 in Oregon.

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(CHINA BAR, Calif.) — A 16-year-old teen was rescued from a 50-foot deep mine shaft in Northern California on Monday after the rope he was using to climb back out of the hole snapped, according to the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection.

The teen was saved after attempting to explore a mine shaft located in the Auburn State Recreation Area near China Bar, officials said.

At approximately 3:27 p.m. on Monday, Placer County Fire Department and Auburn City Fire Department were dispatched to a medical rescue for a “16-year-old male stuck in a vertical mine shaft approximately 50 feet deep,” according to a press release.

The teenager and his friends traveled about 180 feet into the mine shaft and the side of the mountain to explore and rappelled 40 to 50 feet down using a household rope, Cal Fire said.

Upon their ascent back, the rope broke, and the victim fell about 30 feet back to the bottom of the shaft. He attempted to free climb his way back up, but “ultimately lost strength and positioned himself in a precarious ledge awaiting rescuers,” officials said.

Once crews arrived on the scene, the teen’s friends led rescuers to the victim. The Placer County Technical Rescue Team was able to successfully save the teen using a “lightweight, complex rope system and established air monitoring,” Cal Fire said.

The victim was immediately taken to a local trauma center for treatment.

Cal Fire applauded the Placer County rescue team as they were able to “facilitate this technical rescue in a very confined and austere environment 180 feet inside of the mountain.”

“The incident highlights the unique natural hazards ever present within our beautiful and rugged landscape in Placer County,” Cal Fire said. “Our commitment to public safety in these diverse scenarios using highly trained special operations team is paramount in our service to the public.”

The name of the rescued teenager has not yet been released.

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(PHILADELPHIA) — Philadelphia Eagles fans flocked to downtown Philadelphia on Friday to celebrate the team’s massive 40-22 win over the Kansas City Chiefs in Sunday’s Super Bowl. 

The city expects 1 million people to attend Friday’s parade and ceremony — including kids. Philadelphia city offices and Philadelphia public schools are closed for the citywide celebration.

“We look forward to joyfully celebrating the Eagles’ victory as a community, and we hope that you do so safely and responsibly with friends and family,” the school district said in a statement.

The Eagles players’ parade began at 11 a.m. More than 15 Jumbotron screens will be along the parade route to broadcast the celebration live.

The parade will be followed by a ceremony at 2 p.m. on the “Rocky” Steps at the Philadelphia Museum of Art.

But if you’re heading to Philadelphia on Friday, make sure to layer up with your Eagles gear.

When the parade begins, gusty winds could reach 20 to 25 mph. The wind chill — what temperature it feels like — will be only 22 degrees.

By 2 p.m., the wind chill is only expected to rise to 27 degrees — much colder than normal for mid-February.

This is the Eagles’ second Super Bowl championship; the team’s first win was in 2018.

The 2025 Eagles parade comes exactly one year after the Chiefs’ Super Bowl celebration during which a mass shooting erupted following a dispute. Paradegoer Lisa Lopez-Galvan was killed and 22 people were hurt.

The Chiefs wrote on social media Friday, “A year ago, on a day intended for celebration and love, our city experienced tragedy in the form of senseless violence. We continue to heal with you as we move forward together.”

ABC News’ Max Golembo contributed to this report.

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(NEW YORK) — The National Park Service eliminated references to transgender people from its Stonewall National Monument website on Thursday, which now only refers to those who are lesbian, gay and bisexual.

What used to be listed as LGBTQ+, has been changed to LGB.

“Before the 1960s, almost everything about living openly as a lesbian, gay, bisexual (LGB) person was illegal. The Stonewall Uprising on June 28, 1969, is a milestone in the quest for LGB civil rights and provided momentum for a movement,” the website now says.

The Stonewall Inn in New York City’s Greenwich Village became a national monument in 2016 under former President Barack Obama, creating the country’s first national park site dedicated to LGBTQ+ history.

The Stonewall Uprising on June 28, 1969, began in response to a routine police raid on a gay bar, according to the Library of Congress. The conflict spanned multiple nights and drew national attention as bargoers resisted the police.

The Stonewall Inn and the Stonewall Inn Gives Back Initiative told ABC News that it was thanks to the leadership of transgender women who “stood up and stood out and refused to be put into a corner” that the modern LGBTQ equality movement exists.

“In this fight, in this movement, it was also trans people, especially trans women of color, like Marsha P Johnson, Sylvia, Rivera, Miss Major Griffin-Gracy, black and brown trans women that stood at the forefront of this movement,” said Angelica Christina, the Board Director of the Stonewall Inn Gives Back Initiative, in an interview with ABC News. “We would not have pride as we know it today without trans people, without trans women.”

Though LGBTQ+ rights activism existed in various pockets prior to 1969, the incident at Stonewall galvanized and mobilized the community toward increased organizing, experts said. NYPD officials have since apologized for past anti-LGBTQ+ practices and the raid of Stonewall.

“… to come and do this at the Stonewall National Monument and try to erase LGBTQ history, which is American history, is just deplorable and something that we cannot see happen,” co-owner of the Stonewall Inn, Stacy Lentz, told ABC News.

For transgender residents, like Christina, the Stonewall Inn has long been a safe haven.

“The Stonewall bar, which for me, as a native New Yorker, that was one of the first queer, LGBT safe spaces that I turned to in my early 20s,” Christina told ABC News. “It was a space that was welcoming for especially a trans woman like myself, a space that I could exist comfortably and safely and that I knew that I could turn to. And there are so many spaces in especially in New York City, unfortunately, are not safe for trans people.”

New York Gov. Kathy Hochul took to X on Thursday to condemn the change, calling it “cruel and petty.”

“Transgender people play a critical role in the fight for LGBTQ+ rights — and New York will never allow their contributions to be erased,” Hochul said.

The monument’s organizers promised to fight for transgender representation to be restored on the website, saying, that the group “Stands unwaveringly in solidarity with the transgender community and all who fight for full equality, and we will not rest until this grave injustice is corrected.”

The Park Service’s public affairs department, according to the New York Times, said “the agency had taken the actions to carry out an executive order signed by President Trump on his first day in office that was described as ‘restoring biological truth to the federal government’ and a second order signed by the acting secretary of the interior last month.”

Several other references to the transgender community remain on the website, including the founding document for the Stonewall National Monument, historical pages on Rivera and Johnson, and other references to LGBTQ history.

During his first day in the White House, President Donald Trump signed an executive order declaring that there are only “two sexes, male and female,” with the effects of that order being seen from passports to the U.S. military.

“The decision to change ‘LGBTQ’ to ‘LGB’ on the Stonewall National Monument’s National Parks page is yet another example of the Trump administration’s blatant attempts to discriminate against and erase the legacies of transgender and queer Americans,” the Gay and Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation (GLAAD) said in a statement on Thursday.

“You can try to erase our history, but we will never forget those who came before us and we will continue to fight for all those who will come after us,” the GLAAD statement added.

The National Parks Conservation Association — an independent, nonpartisan membership organization dedicated to national park advocacy — released a statement on the decision Thursday.

“Erasing letters or webpages does not change the history or the contributions of our transgender community members at Stonewall or anywhere else,” program manager Timothy Leonard said. “Stonewall inspires and our parks must continue to include diverse stories that welcome and represent the people that shaped our nation.”

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(LOS ANGELES) — One of the strongest storms of the season slammed fire-ravaged Los Angeles with heavy rain on Thursday, sending streams of mud and debris across roadways and sweeping a fire department vehicle off a Malibu road into the ocean, authorities said.

A member of the Los Angeles Fire Department was inside the vehicle when it was swept off the road by a large debris flow and into the ocean, according to the department.

“Fortunately, the member was able to exit his vehicle and reach safety with minor injuries. He was transported to a local hospital as a precaution,” spokesperson Erik Scott said.

The atmospheric river dumped 6.34 inches of rain in Los Angeles County, prompting mudslides in the burn scar areas from last month’s devastating Palisades Fire, Los Angeles ABC station KABC reported.

Videos captured by KABC showed bulldozers pushing streams of muddy sludge out of the roads and firefighters trudging through nearly waist-deep swamps of water and mud.

The storm also brought a line of severe thunderstorms with 70 mph wind gusts to Los Angeles County, and a possible tornado hit a mobile home park near Oxnard, California, about 60 miles from LA.

LA Mayor Karen Bass said the city prepared for the storm by clearing catch basins of fire debris, offering residents over 6,500 sandbags, setting up over 7,500 feet of concrete barriers, and having systems in place to capture polluted runoff.

Sheriff’s deputies helped residents prepare with sandbags and passed out mud and debris safety tips, Los Angeles County Sheriff Robert Luna said at a news conference Wednesday. “Our homeless outreach teams … are actively notifying individuals living in flood-prone areas like the LA River, Coyote Creek and other key waterways, urging them to relocate.”

Evacuation warnings were announced for parts of fire burn zones, including areas impacted by the Palisades Fire, and an evacuation order was issued for parts of Sierra Madre affected by the Eaton Fire, according to KABC.

All Malibu schools were closed Thursday and Friday, according to the Santa Monica-Malibu Unified School District.

The sheriff urged residents to prepare in the event they needed to evacuate.

“Unfortunately, we’ve witnessed numerous, numerous instances in the past of swift-water rescues where people were caught in dangerous, fast-moving water, and obviously, we want to prevent that,” he said.

“Nothing that you have back home is worth your life. If you decide to stay in your property in an evacuated area, debris from the burn scar areas and storm may impede roads, and we may not be able to reach you,” he warned.

Before pummeling LA, the storm first hit Northern California, bringing rain and flash flooding to the San Francisco Bay area.

Further north, the same storm system brought whiteout conditions and car crashes to Interstate 84 in Oregon.

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(NEW YORK) — After months of targeting transgender youth medical care, legislators in some states are now setting their sights on restricting funding for care for transgender adults.

Lawmakers in at least eight states are seeking to restrict state or public funds from being used for gender-affirming care, limiting a patient’s ability to use Medicaid to help pay: Arizona, Georgia, Idaho, Kentucky, Mississippi, Oklahoma, Texas, and Virginia.

For Mason Kalinsky, that would mean he may no longer be able to access the hormone therapy that he has been taking for roughly three years. Kalinsky, a 27-year-old transgender activist in Kentucky, told ABC News in an interview that hormone therapy changed his life.

Before accessing hormone therapy, Kalinsky said he and his doctors tried a slew of medications including antidepressants to address his mental health challenges, including his struggles with addiction.

Hormone therapy and gender-affirming care made him feel “more awake and alive in my body in a way that no other medication had,” Kalinsky said.

“It’s a necessary medication for me,” he said. “And this bill, if it passes, would mean that I would no longer be able to get this care, as would a lot of other people who also have insurance that is in some way paid for by the public.”

Kentucky state Rep. Josh Calloway, a Republican, is one of the legislators behind the Kentucky bill. He told ABC News in an interview that he believes state funds should not go toward gender-affirming health care.

His bill would bar state funds from going toward services related to gender transitioning, including mental health counseling or therapy, hormone therapy or any surgical procedures.

Calloway could not provide details about how much in state funding currently goes to gender-affirming care for transgender patients. Instead, Calloway stated that the Kentucky Cabinet for Health and Family Services informed him that if his bill were implemented, it could cost the state between $12 to $21 million in the need for psychiatric care, counseling and hospital stays from impacted patients who may need increased mental health services.

“What they are saying by that statement is that we have a mental health crisis,” Calloway told ABC News, adding “they’re saying that these people will be in psychiatric care and treatment if we remove the ability to use these medications.”

ABC News has reached out to the Kentucky Cabinet for Health and Family Services to confirm the estimate.

“The truth is there’s only male and female, and there is no way that either can transition to the other,” said Calloway.

The bill has exceptions for intersex people – such as those with differences in sexual development – and does not restrict such care for non-transgender people.

“This is what is best: men, women, having a family, having babies, procreating,” said Calloway. “Those aspects of our society are under attack through many different avenues. This is just one of those avenues — promote confusion. Cause kids to be confused. They become unstable. They become adults, and before you know it, our society is totally disrupted.”

Transgender Americans — who are estimated to make up less than 1% of the U.S. population over the age of 13 — have been the target of hundreds of Republican-backed bills in recent years.

These bills target bathroom usage and sports participation by transgender residents and restrict certain content in schools or libraries that refer to transgender identities.

However, many anti-LGBTQ bills fail to move forward each year. In 2024, 533 anti-LGBTQ bills were considered by state legislatures and only 49 passed, according to the ACLU.

Kentucky, like other states behind the new wave of restrictive bills, previously passed a gender-affirming care ban for people under the age of 18.

In 2023, the gender youth care ban was vetoed by Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear, which was quickly overridden by the state legislature and passed into law.

Beshear argued that the bill allowed too much government interference in personal health care decisions.

Many of the laws that have been signed or passed into law have led to ongoing legal battles. The Supreme Court is currently considering a case, U.S. v. Skrmetti, which would decide the constitutionality of gender-affirming care bans for transgender minors.

For Carma Marshall Bell, a 34-year-old trans Kentucky resident who has been on hormone therapy for five years, she said she is “terrified” about what could happen if she’s unable to afford her treatment, which could include hormone withdrawal symptoms, which may lead to physical changes and a potential negative impact on mental health.

“I feel like I’m in a good place. I used to be in a really dark place at the beginning. I didn’t see myself in who I used to be versus who I see myself now,” said Marshall. Losing her hormones “would exacerbate depression and just those dark feelings that so many Americans right now are battling and fighting against.”

She continued, “Hormones, to a degree, have saved my life. If I hadn’t got on them, I don’t know where I would be right now.”

Marshall plans on attending a rally with other LGBTQ advocates and allies to call on lawmakers to vote against the bills impacting the transgender community in the state.

“We are people that are deserving of love, respect, humanity. We deserve our little piece of the American dream,” said Marshall. “We actually take a lot of steps to ensure that there’s nothing wrong with us, by ensuring that we see our mental health professionals, by ensuring that we’re in those doctor’s offices taking care of our health and well being, because health is wealth, and we want to prosper in this country known as America.”

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(WASHINGTON) — Secretary of State Marco Rubio’s plane experienced a mechanical issue while en route to Munich, Germany, on Thursday, according to a State Department spokesperson.

The plane turned around returned to Joint Base Andrews before Rubio continued his travel to Germany and the Middle East on a separate aircraft, the spokesperson added.

Rubio is now safely en route to Munich on a smaller aircraft, according to the State Department.

Rubio is headed to Germany to attend the Munich Security Conference and to participate in the G7 Foreign Ministers’ Meeting, according to the State Department.

He will then travel to Israel, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates to meet with senior officials, according to the agency.

“Secretary Rubio’s engagements with senior officials will promote U.S. interests in advancing regional cooperation, stability, and peace,” the State Department said of the trip, adding that the Israel-Hamas ceasefire and hostage deal will be a priority.

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(WASHINGTON) — A federal judge has issued a temporary restraining order blocking enforcement of President Donald Trump’s executive order restricting gender-affirming care for transgender people under the age of 19, according to the civil liberties groups behind the legal challenge to the order.

Trump’s order aimed to withhold federal funding to medical institutions that provide such care — including puberty blockers, hormone therapies, and surgeries — calling on the secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services to “take all appropriate actions to end the chemical and surgical mutilation of children.” The executive order does not appear to restrict these procedures for non-transgender people under 19.

Transgender young adults and families with transgender youth filed a legal challenge in early February against the order.

This is a developing story. Check back for updates.

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(WASHINGTON) — Fourteen states have filed a federal lawsuit against President Donald Trump and Elon Musk, challenging Musk’s role as head of the new Department of Government Efficiency and accusing him of being a “designated agent of chaos” whose “sweeping authority” is in violation of the U.S. Constitution.

“Musk’s seemingly limitless and unchecked power to strip the government of its workforce and eliminate entire departments with the stroke of a pen, or a click of a mouse, would have been shocking to those who won this country’s independence,” reads the complaint, which was filed Thursday in federal court in Washington, D.C.

Led by the state of New Mexico, the lawsuit argues — in often dramatic terms — that the Appointments Clause of the Constitution calls for someone with such significant and “expansive authority” as Musk to be formally nominated by the president and confirmed by the U.S. Senate.

“There is no greater threat to democracy than the accumulation of state power in the hands of a single, unelected individual,” says the lawsuit, filed by New Mexico Attorney General Raul Torrez and officials from Arizona, Michigan, Maryland, Minnesota, California, Nevada, Vermont, Connecticut, Rhode Island, Massachusetts, Oregon, Washington and Hawaii. “Although our constitutional system was designed to prevent the abuses of an 18th century monarch, the instruments of unchecked power are no less dangerous in the hands of a 21st century tech baron.” Two of the 14 states are led by Republican governors.

Separately, 26 current and former USAID employees and contractors brought suit against Musk Thursday in a lawsuit that makes the same constitutional claim. That suit, filed in federal court in Maryland, asks a judge to block Musk and any DOGE subordinates from continuing their budget-slashing work unless Musk is nominated by Trump for an official position and confirmed by the Senate.

“The scope and reach of his executive authority appear unprecedented in U.S. history,” that lawsuit says. “His power includes, at least, the authority to cease the payment of congressionally approved funds, access sensitive and confidential data across government agencies, cut off systems access to federal employees and contractors at will, and take over and dismantle entire independent federal agencies.”

The suit filed by the 14 states says the Constitution blocks the president from overriding “existing laws concerning the structure of the Executive Branch and federal spending.” As a result, the suit says, the commander-in-chief from is forbidden from creating — or even “extinguishing” — federal agencies, and from “slashing federal programs or offering lengthy severance packages as a means of radically winnowing the federal workforce,” in a nod to the Trump administration’s “deferred retirement” offer to government employees.

DOGE, led by Musk as the centerpiece of Trump’s campaign promise to trim the federal government, has found itself in the crosshairs of multiple federal lawsuits, which allege that it has improperly accessed sensitive records and is unlawfully gutting government agencies. Federal judges have temporarily blocked DOGE from accessing sensitive data at the Treasury Department, while the Department of Education recently reached an agreement to limit DOGE’s access to student loan records.

A lawsuit challenging the dismantling of USAID also resulted in a temporary order that blocks the agency from placing more than 2,000 employees on leave.

“[T]he President does not have the constitutional authority to unilaterally dismantle the government. Nor could he delegate such expansive authority to an unelected, unconfirmed individual,” Thursday’s lawsuit says.

The Appointments Clause of the Constitution has generally been interpreted to require that anyone deemed a “principal officer” of the U.S. government must be confirmed by the U.S. Senate. The White House has called Musk a “special government employee” as head of DOGE.

But in their lawsuit Thursday, the states insisted that Musk has such “significant authority” and such “unprecedented and seemingly limitless access across the federal government,” while reporting “solely to President Trump,” that he is actually serving as a “principal officer.”

“Musk is far more than an adviser to the White House,” the lawsuit says. “He executes the President’s agenda by exercising virtually unchecked power across the entire Executive branch, making decisions about expenditures, contracts, government property, regulations, and the very existence of federal agencies.”

The lawsuit claims that Musk’s DOGE “has inserted itself into at least 17 federal agencies,” and that Musk has “authority to direct and veto the staffing decisions of” multiple federal agencies.

“The specifics of Musk’s conduct within various agencies confirm that he is wielding the power of a principal officer, a principal officer that has never previously existed,” the lawsuit says.

“As a result, all of Musk’s actions are [beyond his authority] and contrary to law,” says the suit.

The 14 states are asking a federal judge to at least temporarily limit Musk’s ability to cut or otherwise overhaul federal agencies, and they want the judge to declare “that Musk’s officer-level governmental actions to date, including those of his subordinates and designees” are unlawful.

Both Musk and the Trump administration have insisted that Musk and DOGE are simply rooting out vast government waste and potentially even criminal corruption within federal agencies.

White House spokesperson Karoline Leavitt has repeatedly said Musk is “complying with all applicable federal laws.”

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