The Trump administration went to the Supreme Court after a panel of judges at a D.C.-based federal appeals court ruled 2-1 to uphold the lower court’s ruling shielding Dellinger, whom former President Joe Biden appointed to a five-year term at the Office of Special Counsel, which handles issues like protecting whistleblowers against retaliation.

Judge Danielle Forrest raised the importance of public confidence in the judiciary, observing that quick decision-making risks eroding that confidence.

The decision clears a roadblock for the new administration as it attempts sweeping changes to downsize the federal government.