Justice gives counter Trump warns of the "destruction of our country" after unpleasant rulings
The end of the Department of Education is likely to be a case for the judiciary: Donald Trump has recently suffered a number of defeats in court. Now he is going after judges for it.
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- Trump dissolves the Department of Education: This is why the decree is likely to be overturned by a court.
- The judiciary has already stopped some Trump measures: Now he's warning of a "destruction of our country" because of it.
- "Ridiculous and inept": Trump has again attacked Judge James E. Boasberg for wanting to stop deportation flights.
- Boasberg is also being attacked by right-wing media: Republicans are thinking aloud about his removal.
- Elon Musk uses the dispute to influence an election of a judge at the Supreme Court of Wisconsin.
Donald Trump dissolves the Department of Education by decree. In doing so, he will encounter similar legal resistance to the apparent end of the development agency USAID. A judge stopped this on March 18 because it contradicted the constitution "in various ways".
The basic problem: the separation of powers. The agencies were set up by Congress, which also determines their budget. There is no provision for the executive branch in the form of Donald Trump to close offices that the legislative branch has established.
The judiciary puts the government in its place: on March 12, Washington announces that half of the jobs and funding in the Department of Education will be cut. Eight days later, a judge upholds a lawsuit brought by teachers' associations against the elimination of training courses.
Trump's trick
If the cuts to such education funds are "probably illegal", as Judge Julie Rubin at the Maryland District Court ruled, how can the abolition of the Education Department be legal? Trump is helping himself by not completely eradicating the agency: The
department should continue to help socially disadvantaged pupils and students.
Nevertheless, it is certain that the judiciary will deal with the matter - and the new administration is currently suffering defeats in court.
Trump's legal setbacks
- March 18: A judge orders the restoration of USAID.
- March 19: A judge prohibits the exclusion of trans people from the military ordered by Trump.
- March 20: A US federal court temporarily denies the DOGE department access to the Social Security Administration system.
The hottest conflict between Trump's administration and the judiciary revolves around Judge James E. Boasberg of the Washington District Court: on Saturday, March 15, he stops a deportation flight to El Salvador, which nevertheless takes place - here is the transcript. Because the judge complains about this on Monday, Trump demands his removal the following day.
Trump warns of the "destruction of our country"
Even the chief justice, the conservative John Roberts, called on Trump to show moderation on Tuesday. But he is not even thinking about it: "Unlawful nationwide injunctions by radical left-wing judges could very well lead to the destruction of our country," he added on Thursday.
"The danger is unparalleled! These judges want to take over the powers of the presidency," Trump continues to attack. He could not do his job "if radical and bipartisan judges are allowed to stand in the way of justice". He called on Chief Justice Roberts to resolve this "toxic situation immediately".
Trump wrote a separate post for Boasberg, saying he was a "blowhard" who only sought publicity. "His 'judgments' are so ridiculous and clumsy," it continues. And on Friday, the 78-year-old repeated that judges cannot simply play president.
Musk's petition "against activist judges"
Elon Musk has taken up this narrative in order to influence an election in Wisconsin: Judges for the state's Supreme Court will be voted on there on April 1. Musk is supporting the conservative candidate and is offering 100 dollars for every signature on his petition "against activist judges". Musk's "America PAC" announced on X that there would be a further 100 dollars for every signature obtained.
And Judge Boasberg? He is in the crosshairs: the right-wing "New York Post" describes him as biased. He is part of a "corrupt cartel of Democratic law firms, judges, NGOs and deep-state bureaucrats". The White House spokeswoman echoes this sentiment.
"Judge Boasberg is a Democrat activist," says Karoline Leavitt. "He was appointed by Barack Obama, his wife has donated more than 10,000 dollars to the Democrats and he has repeatedly shown his contempt for this president and his policies, and that is unacceptable."
"Government has once again shirked its obligations"
"Huffington Post" counters that although Obama appointed Boasberg, he was then confirmed in the Senate in 2011 without a dissenting vote. Moreover, his rulings showed that he had indeed also decided in the interests of the Republicans.
The judge himself spoke out on March 20 and complained that the Department of Justice had given him a "completely inadequate" answer to his question as to why the deportations were carried out despite his decision to the contrary. "The government has once again shirked its obligations," he is quoted as saying.
While the judge is demanding an explanation from the government, a group of Republicans is pushing for his removal, according to "The Hill": Jim Jordan, who also sits on the Judiciary Committee, says that "all options are on the table" because Boasberg's decision was "apparently political".
However, dismissing the judge seems hopeless: 14 Democrats in the Senate would also have to vote in favor. However, it is too late for those who may have been wrongly deported: In one case, a Real Madrid tattoo was allegedly mistaken for a gang insignia, which led to the man now languishing in a horror prison in El Salvador.
