Federal judges increasingly distrust Trump administration's Justice Department actions

Judges across the federal judiciary have expressed mounting frustration with the Justice Department during Donald Trump’s tenure, saying they can no longer rely on the agency’s good-faith compliance. The report cites several high-profile clashes, including U.S. District Judge Ana Reyes’s angry criticism after DOJ officials removed more than 500 trees from Washington’s East Potomac Golf Links without the advance notice she repeatedly requested.

In a separate case, Trump-appointed Judge Timothy Kelly rejected the administration’s attempt to bar one outlet, MS NOW and one outlet reporters from the White House, deeming the national-security justification insufficient. Other judges, such as Paula Xinis and James Boasberg, have begun imposing stricter notice requirements and pursuing contempt investigations to preserve judicial oversight. Legal scholars warn that the breakdown of the presumption of regularity could force courts to demand extensive evidence in future government actions.