Elon Musk visited C.I.A. headquarters on Monday to discuss his efforts to downsize the government as a federal judge ordered the agency to reconsider its firings of employees who had been assigned to diversity recruiting.
The C.I.A. in February moved to fire some of the people who had worked on diversity issues, pursuant to an executive order from President Trump and guidance from his administration.
The court initially declined to block that move. But on Monday, Judge Anthony Trenga of the Eastern District of Virginia ordered the agency to grant appeals to 51 officers and consider them for other jobs at the C.I.A., according to a lawyer for the plaintiffs.
“The judge decided there are constitutional, statutory and regulatory rights related to a reduction in force,” said Kevin Carroll, the lawyer. “The C.I.A. director has to listen to appeals from these officers in good faith and they have to be reconsidered for jobs in the intelligence community. There are no performance or security allegations against any of these people.”
Officials would not describe in detail the nature of Mr. Musk’s visit. But John Ratcliffe, the C.I.A. director, has been shrinking the agency and considering a wider reorganization.
In a statement, a C.I.A. spokesman said Mr. Musk was at the headquarters at the invitation of Mr. Ratcliffe “to discuss government efficiency.”