WASHINGTON (AP) — The Trump administration is facing increasing scrutiny from the judiciary, which White House officials have criticized as being driven by “judicial activists.” This conflict, according to the administration, represents a “constitutional crisis.”
Karoline Leavitt, the White House press secretary, addressed these concerns while defending President Donald Trump’s recent executive actions aimed at reducing the federal workforce and cutting government spending.
“We believe these judges are acting as judicial activists rather than honest arbiters of the law,” Leavitt remarked.
President Trump’s initiatives, introduced during the early weeks of his second term, have encountered legal challenges, with over 50 lawsuits filed and some policies temporarily halted by judicial rulings. Administration officials have publicly questioned the legitimacy of judicial oversight, which is a key component of the U.S. democratic system, ensuring a balance of power.
Judicial focus has increased as Congress, controlled by Republicans, has largely supported President Trump’s unilateral decisions, including the dismissal of government watchdogs.
During a press briefing, Leavitt was questioned whether the White House acknowledges the courts’ authority to issue nationwide injunctions against Trump’s directives. She responded that the judgments “have no basis in the law” and “have no grounds.” Despite this, Leavitt stated that the administration would comply with court orders while remaining confident of eventual “vindication.”
“This is part of a larger, concerted effort by Democrat activists, and nothing more than the continuation of the weaponization of justice against President Trump,” Leavitt added, referencing Trump’s ongoing legal challenges, including a criminal conviction in New York the previous year.
Judicial interventions have temporarily stalled efforts to terminate birthright citizenship, access Treasury Department records involving Elon Musk’s so-called Department of Government Efficiency, and implement a mass resignation plan for federal employees.
Musk, granted extensive authority by Trump to streamline the federal government, has taken to social media to call for the impeachment of judges opposing the administration. “A corrupt judge protecting corruption. He needs to be impeached NOW!” Musk tweeted concerning the Treasury Department case. Vice President JD Vance commented on X, “If a judge tried to tell a general how to conduct a military operation, that would be illegal. If a judge tried to command the attorney general in how to use her discretion as a prosecutor, that’s also illegal. Judges aren’t allowed to control the executive’s legitimate power.”
Amidst the growing number of legal proceedings, questions have emerged regarding Trump’s commitment to adhering to judicial decisions while extending presidential powers.
On Tuesday, Trump assured compliance with court rulings but hinted at potential responses to judges, labeling their actions a “violation.”
“It seems hard to believe that a judge could say, ‘We don’t want you to do that.’ So maybe we have to look at the judges because that’s very serious, I think it’s a very serious violation,” Trump remarked.
Leavitt emphasized that Trump’s administration will “seek every legal remedy to ultimately overturn these radical injunctions and ensure President Trump’s policies can be enacted,” she stated.
