Trump warns of US judicial ‘tyranny’ amid clash over executive orders

Nevin Al Sukari - Sana'a - US President Donald Trump claims that US judges were preventing him from cleaning up the government. — AFP pic

WASHINGTON, Feb 12 — US President Donald Trump accused the judges blocking his executive orders of committing a “serious violation” Tuesday as his administration veered towards a constitutional clash with the courts over his plans to radically downsize the government.

With the Republican Party controlling Congress and completely loyal to Trump, the billionaire president has largely ignored the legislature as he carries out his unprecedented policies.

But he has faced growing pushback from the courts since taking office three weeks ago, with around a dozen court orders issued against the administration from some 40 lawsuits.

As the courts and Trump appeared increasingly to be on a collision course, the president pledged to stand by their rulings – but claimed that judges were preventing him from cleaning up the government.

“We want to weed out the corruption. And it seems hard to believe that a judge could say we don’t want you to do that,” Trump told reporters in the Oval Office.

“So maybe we have to look at the judges, because that’s very serious. I think it’s a very serious violation.”

Although the US Constitution designates the federal judiciary as an independent branch of government with as much authority as the White House, it is inherently politicized, as judges are selected by presidents for lifetime appointments.

The judges who have ruled against Trump were appointed by six different Democratic and Republican presidents, however, including the current White House occupant himself.

Trump fell afoul of the judiciary over an attempt to freeze US$3 trillion in federal grants and loans, a deferred resignation program for government workers and a plan to transfer transgender women inmates to men’s prisons.

He has also clashed with judges over his abolition of birthright citizenship, sending Venezuelan migrants to Guantanamo Bay, funding cuts to the National Institutes of Health, firing a government ethics watchdog and placing workers from the US Agency for International Development (USAID) on leave.

Injunctions have been placed on each of these actions and there was further bad news for Trump on Tuesday as a federal judge ordered him to restore a glut of public health web pages removed last month.

Asked by reporters at the White House if he would honor the will of the courts, Trump told reporters: “I always abide by the courts, and then I’ll have to appeal it.”

But concerns are mounting that Trump could ultimately defy the rulings, prompting a full-blown constitutional crisis.

‘That’s tyranny’

The Republican’s harshest critics say that horse has already bolted after a federal judge upbraided the White House on Monday for failing to comply with his order to end the federal funding freeze.

Vice President JD Vance has fueled speculation over a coming clash, claiming in a social media post Sunday that judges lack authority to “control the executive’s legitimate power.”

In fact, the US Constitution gives federal judges the right to rule on cases involving the president as part of their oversight role of the other branches of government.

Vance’s comments -- which came after a judge blocked tech billionaire Elon Musk’s so-called “Department of Government Efficiency” (DOGE) from accessing Americans’ personal data – earned him a rebuke from legal scholars and political opponents.

“If you believe any of the multiple federal courts that have ruled against you so far are exceeding their statutory or Constitutional authority, your recourse is to appeal,” Liz Cheney, a former Republican lawmaker and vocal Trump critic, replied.

“You don’t get to rage-quit the Republic just because you are losing. That’s tyranny.”

The DOGE injunction also came under attack from Musk, who has called for an annual mass firing of federal judges and claims that democracy is “being destroyed by judicial coup.”

But critics characterize the deluge of criticism from the world’s richest man, the US president and the vice president as a coordinated assault on the rule of law.

“This is not just a musing from a dude with some various ideas,” tech commentator and veteran Musk watcher Kara Swisher said of the SpaceX and Tesla CEO.

“The next step is to hollow out the judiciary and also not follow their rulings, which have been against Musk’s efforts. This is a very obvious coup, for those not paying attention.” — AFP