An internal memo asked managers to name those who did not respond to Elon Musk’s “What did you do last week?” email blast.

A federal judge in California ruled late Thursday President Trump and Elon Musk’s mass firings of probationary government employees were illegal, siding with a coalition of labor unions and nonprofit groups.

Hundreds of weather forecasters and National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration employees were fired Thursday in the latest wave of cuts from Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency, sparking concern among local forecasters and emergency officials.

Federal workers who were not let go said the afternoon layoffs included meteorologists who do crucial local forecasts in National Weather Service offices across the country.

The story below, published on February 21 before the announcement, explains how the Trump administration has been preparing to cut staffing at NOAA and what that means for weather forecasting and climate research.

Scientists and politicians are sounding the alarm about potential consequences of the layoffs, including keeping people safe and protecting the economy.

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Some 880 employees of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration were laid off on Thursday, a congressional source told CBS News.

Democrats say the calls to remove judges who block Trump administration initiatives amount to intimidation. Some senior Republicans were also skeptical of the effort.