{
  "id": 6827691,
  "title": "US judge blocks Trump administration's 'loyalty' question for job applicants",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/12/us-judge-blocks-trump-administrations-loyalty-question-for-job",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-09-12T00:27:34.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "New Straits Times",
    "slug": "new-straits-times",
    "url": "https://www.nst.com.my/world/world/2026/09/1530942/us-judge-blocks-trump-administrations-loyalty-question-job-applicants"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "A federal judge in Boston has prevented the Trump administration from continuing to ask civil service job applicants a question deemed partisan by unions. US District Judge George O Toole ruled in favor of three unions representing government workers who challenged the administration's requirement for applicants to write essays on how they would advance Trump's policies. The American Federation of Government Employees and other unions argued the question politically motivated the hiring process, attempting to assess applicants' support for the president. O Toole, a Clinton appointee, stated the question had been used for various positions, from air traffic control specialists to nuclear materials couriers. He found the unions' interpretation that the question sought to determine applicants' political views to be reasonable. The judge halted the question's use on the grounds it likely violated the First Amendment's speech rights under the Constitution. Lawyers for the unions welcomed the ruling, noting over 70,000 federal job postings had included the question, undermining the merit-based hiring system. The unions include the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees and the National Association of Government Employees. The Office of Personnel Management, which defended the question as optional, did not respond to a request for comment.",
  "summary": "BOSTON, (United States): A federal judge on Friday blocked US President Donald Trump's administration from continuing to ask applicants for civil service jobs throughout the government to respond to what unions described as a partisan \"loyalty question.\"",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 11,
    "also_reported_by": [
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        "published": "2026-09-11T18:35:31.000Z"
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      {
        "outlet": "The Hill",
        "title": "Trump administration announces first-ever deportation from terrorist removal court",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/11/trump-administration-announces-first-ever-deportation-from-terrorist",
        "published": "2026-09-11T19:08:50.000Z"
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      {
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        "title": "Federal court rejects Trump order keeping Michigan coal plant open",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/11/federal-court-rejects-trump-order-keeping-michigan-coal-plant-open",
        "published": "2026-09-11T19:10:31.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "Mongabay",
        "title": "Federal court rejects Trump order keeping Michigan coal plant open",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/11/federal-court-rejects-trump-order-keeping-michigan-coal-plant-open-6795453",
        "published": "2026-09-11T19:31:21.000Z"
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      {
        "outlet": "Ars Technica Science",
        "title": "Trump's forced coal plant extensions thrown out by judge",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/11/trumps-forced-coal-plant-extensions-thrown-out-by-judge",
        "published": "2026-09-11T20:32:59.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "Grist",
        "title": "A federal judge just told Trump there’s no “emergency” to justify keeping a Michigan coal plant open",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/11/a-federal-judge-just-told-trump-theres-no-emergency-to-justify",
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      {
        "outlet": "Seeking Alpha News",
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        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/11/u-s-court-strikes-down-doe-emergency-order-delaying-michigan-coal",
        "published": "2026-09-11T22:06:24.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "PBS NewsHour",
        "title": "Federal court rejects Trump administration order keeping Michigan coal plant open",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/11/federal-court-rejects-trump-administration-order-keeping-michigan",
        "published": "2026-09-11T23:02:58.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "Hindustan Times - World News",
        "title": "US judge blocks Trump administration's 'loyalty' question for job applicants",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/12/us-judge-blocks-trump-administrations-loyalty-question-for-job-6830857",
        "published": "2026-09-12T00:06:49.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "Investing.com",
        "title": "US judge blocks Trump administration’s ’loyalty’ question for job applicants",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/12/us-judge-blocks-trump-administrations-loyalty-question-for-job-6831785",
        "published": "2026-09-12T00:36:24.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}