In the last several days, courts have also ruled that the firing of workers at U.S.-backed media outlets such as Voice of America, was improper and found that the justification for firing a different set of federal workers was a "sham." (The architect of the mass firings, Elon Musk, appears to be stepping back from his role, which will give Trump's cabinet more influence over personnel.)
The opponents of Trump's policies are turning the courts into a proving ground. Harvard University this week filed suit challenging the White House's move to deny it federal funds, while Justice Department lawyers were also in court defending a ban on transgender servicemembers and Trump's targeting of law firms.
Meanwhile, an army of environmental lawyers are gearing up to challenge the administration's push to ease regulations to ramp up fossil fuel production. And more than a dozen states are suing the administration over Trump's tariffs, claiming they are illegal.
Part of the reason the administration is running into trouble is its refusal to stop at times to explain itself, which critics say suggests it does not recognize the authority of the federal courts to check its conduct.
The administration continues to drag its feet in the case of Kilmar Abrego Garcia, the Maryland resident who was mistakenly deported to a prison in El Salvador, frustrating the judge overseeing the case. So far, the White House has refused to comply with an order mandating that it "facilitate" his return to the United States.
An appeals court panel last week warned the White House that its actions may persuade the public that Trump flouts the rule of law.
"The executive will lose much from a public perception of its lawlessness," wrote U.S. Circuit Judge J. Harvie Wilkinson, a veteran judge appointed by President Ronald Reagan, who, like Trump, was a Republican. A Reuters/Ipsos poll released this week underscored the political risk to Trump, with 73% of Republicans and 96% of Democrats surveyed saying the White House should comply with court orders even if it disagrees with them.
The conservative majority on the Supreme Court may continue to embolden Trump. But in the short term, the conflict between Trump and the courts could worsen if the administration flat-out refuses to return Abrego Garcia or comply with orders in other pending cases demanding the president adhere to the law. It's a showdown that could trigger the kind of constitutional crisis long feared under Trump and plunge the country into a new era of uncertainty.
Megyn Kelly -> Pete Hegseth responds to 2017 rape accusation. 🔥 vol. 3, issue 13 | December 6, 2024 Quick Hits All the news you need in...
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