NEW YORK -- The US Supreme Court on Tuesday lifted a lower court order that had blocked President Donald Trump's executive order requiring government agencies to lay off hundreds of thousands of federal employees.

"Because the government is likely to succeed on its argument that the executive order and memorandum are lawful ... we grant the application," the court wrote in its brief order. "We express no view on the legality of any agency RIF (large-scale reductions in force) and reorganization plan produced or approved pursuant to the executive order and memorandum."

In February, Trump detailed an extensive plan instructing agency heads to prepare for RIFs. Later that month, the administration issued an accompanying memorandum alleging that the federal government is "costly, inefficient and deeply in debt" and blaming that inefficiency on "unproductive and unnecessary programs that benefit radical interest groups."

The memo required agency heads to submit initial layoff plans to the Office of Management and Budget and the US Office of Personnel Management two weeks later.

"The decision, another victory for Trump at the Supreme Court, allows the government to begin taking steps to dramatically overhaul 21 agencies and departments, including the departments of Commerce, Health and Human Services, Energy, Treasury and State," reported ABC News on this subject.