The issue focused on the court's legal authority to give rights to individual federal employees, and if so, what would be the impact of that on President Trump.

"It is more than clear that this law can't be implemented with such power," Justice Department lawyer James L. Quarles said. "We have been able to find no constitutional basis for it. It was not given in any Constitution or legislation. It is a Supreme Court decision. This is an illegal law. The court has made it