Trump wins temporary victory in legal fight to fire head of independent agency

A US federal appeals court has temporarily cleared President Donald Trump to remove the head of the independent Office of Special Counsel (OSC), who Trump dismissed after he began investigating the president's controversial mass firings of federal employees.

In a brief, unsigned order issued on Wednesday, the US Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit granted the Trump administration's request to stay a lower court ruling that blocked the president from dismissing Hampton Dellinger.

"This order gives effect to the removal of appellee from his position as Special Counsel of the US Office of Special Counsel," the court's order said, adding that the Trump administration had met the "stringent requirements for a stay pending appeal."

The court said after greenlighting the dismissal on a temporary basis, it would expedite its review of the case.

-Legal clash

The ruling follows a legal clash over Trump's February decision to fire Dellinger, a Senate-confirmed appointee of former President Joe Biden.

Dellinger had been investigating the controversial mass firing of probationary federal employees by the Trump administration, a move that led to his legal battle to retain his position.

Earlier this month, US District Judge Amy Berman Jackson ruled that Trump's attempt to remove Dellinger violated federal law, which stipulates that the Special Counsel can only be removed for "inefficiency, neglect of duty, or malfeasance in office."

But the appeals court decision effectively overrides Jackson's ruling for the time being, allowing Trump to temporarily remove Dellinger.

Dellinger has indicated he may appeal the decision to the US Supreme Court, which has already intervened in the case once before.

In response to the ruling, attorneys for Dellinger urged the court to reject the administration's request, emphasizing the importance of "stability and continuity" at the office during the ongoing litigation.

The court's full opinion on the matter is expected in the coming weeks.