President Donald Trump called on the Supreme Court Thursday to limit the power of federal judges to issue nationwide injunctions, arguing that these orders have repeatedly obstructed his policies. "The illegal nationwide injunctions by radical left judges could lead to the destruction of our country. These people are lunatics who don’t care, even a little bit, about the consequences of their rulings, which are very dangerous and wrong!" Trump wrote on his social media platform, Truth Social.
His comments come amid more than a hundred lawsuits filed in federal courts challenging various measures of his administration as overreaches of power. Among these, several court decisions have blocked key executive orders, such as the ban on transgender individuals serving in the military and a recent ruling requiring the reinstatement of dismissed government employees.
Another adverse ruling halted Trump's policy to deny citizenship to children of undocumented immigrants or those with temporary visas born on U.S. soil. Additionally, there is an ongoing case to bring back over 200 Venezuelans deported to El Salvador in violation of a federal judge's denial order.
Since returning to the White House on January 20, Trump has predominantly governed through executive orders, challenging the separation of powers and encountering resistance from the judiciary, which he views as his primary obstacle. His appeal to the Supreme Court aims to prevent federal judges from halting his policies through national injunctions, which he claims jeopardize his government agenda.
The discussion over judicial power limitation has sparked divided reactions in the political and legal arenas, with constitutional law experts warning about the dangers of weakening the checks and balances in the U.S. democratic system. Some congress members have even warned that failing to oppose Trump's decrees could threaten to dismantle American democracy, drawing comparisons to the Third Reich.
Meanwhile, the U.S. Supreme Court seems in no hurry to address the power of a single judge to halt a national policy amid ongoing challenges from the president. In response to a flood of lawsuits, federal judges have stopped or slowed down one Trump administration measure after another, from attempts to limit birthright citizenship to freezes on national and international spending.
While a number of justices have voiced concerns over the use of what are termed nationwide or universal injunctions, the high court has sidestepped multiple requests to intervene on the matter.
Nationwide Injunctions and Their Impact on U.S. Policies
What is a nationwide injunction?
A nationwide injunction is a court order that halts the enforcement of a policy or action across the entire country, rather than just affecting the parties involved in the lawsuit.
Why does Trump oppose nationwide injunctions?
Trump argues that nationwide injunctions issued by federal judges have repeatedly blocked his administration's policies, thus obstructing his agenda and governance.
How has the Supreme Court responded to requests to limit judicial power?
The Supreme Court has largely avoided intervening in the matter of nationwide injunctions, despite concerns and requests from some justices and political figures.