In a significant development, the Supreme Court has officially halted lower court rulings that mandated the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) respond to Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) requests. This action follows an earlier temporary block imposed by Chief Justice John Roberts in late May.

The decision has sparked dissent, with Justices Sonia Sotomayor, Elena Kagan, and Ketanji Brown Jackson voicing their opposition. The controversy centers around the DOGE, a rebranded entity formed under President Trump’s Executive Order 14158. This executive order, issued in January 2020, transformed the United States Digital Service (USDS) into the DOGE, tasked with streamlining federal technology and maximizing government efficiency – an initiative known as the “President’s DOGE Agenda.”

This Supreme Court intervention leaves the FOIA lawsuit in limbo, raising questions about transparency and accountability within the newly restructured agency. The dissenting justices’ concerns highlight the potential implications of this ruling for future FOIA requests and the broader access to government information.