Trump’s relentless attacks on judges spark constitutional showdown over judicial review
Donald Trump repeatedly denounced judges who blocked his immigration, National Guard and tariff actions, prompting rebukes from Chief Justice Roberts and multiple appellate courts.
Since 2018, Donald Trump has publicly attacked judges who ruled against his policies, from a temporary restraining order on an asylum restriction to a March 2025 order blocking the deportation of Venezuelan detainees. He accused judges such as Jon Tigar and James Boasberg of partisan bias and even urged impeachment, prompting Chief Justice John Roberts to emphasize the independence of the bench. The Justice Department repeatedly argued that statutes like the Alien Enemies Act, 10 U.S.C. §12406 and the International Emergency Economic Powers Act gave the president unreviewable authority, a position the 5th, 9th and 7th Circuit courts rejected.
The Supreme Court ruled that detainees have Fifth Amendment due-process rights and that courts can assess the legality of presidential determinations. Similar challenges arose over Trump’s use of the National Guard and sweeping tariff measures, all of which were curtailed by the judiciary. The episode underscores an ongoing conflict between executive ambition and constitutional checks on power.
Why it matters
It shows how attempts to bypass judicial oversight threaten the constitutional balance of power.
In this story
