A federal appeals court is allowing President Donald Trump to remove the head of a government watchdog agency while a legal challenge to his firing plays out.

       In a brief, unsigned order issued Wednesday afternoon, the DC Circuit Court of Appeals granted a request by the Trump administration to put on hold a lower-court ruling that said Trump’s firing of Hampton Dellinger was unlawful. That ruling said Dellinger, the head of the Office of Special Counsel, was entitled to stay at his post.

       “This order gives effect to the removal of appellee from his position as Special Counsel of the U.S. Office of Special Counsel,” the appeals court said in its order Wednesday. “Appellants have satisfied the stringent requirements for a stay pending appeal.”

       The appeals court said it would expedite its review of the lower-court ruling.

       It’s likely that Dellinger will appeal the court’s order to the US Supreme Court on an emergency basis.

       This is a developing story and will be updated.