Trump Drops Two Student-Loan Appeals, Leaving Public-Service Debt Relief Rules Blocked

Linda McMahon, the US education secretary, would have picked which employers to expel from the scheme under the voided policy. (Credit: US Department of Education / CC BY 2.0, cropped)

The Trump administration has given up two of the three appeals in its fight to limit Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF). Its rule would have cut some public servants off from debt relief. Justice Department lawyers lodged the papers on Wednesday, 21 October. The limits remain blocked, and PSLF continues.

The scheme clears federal student debt for eligible public-sector and nonprofit staff after 120 qualifying monthly payments made while working full-time for eligible employers. Federal figures show it had wiped out $87.6 billion (£65.74 billion) for nearly 1.2 million borrowers by September 2025. But a third appeal, against 22 states, is still underway, so the fight continues.