#supreme-court

9 entries with this tag

Constitutional Violations

On the Same Day Trump Held a Housing Bill Hostage for a Voter-ID Law, a Judge Permanently Struck Down His Voter-ID Executive Order — Ruling He Has No Power Over Elections At All

On June 24, 2026 — the same day Trump canceled the signing of a bipartisan housing bill to pressure Congress into passing his SAVE America Act voter-ID law — U.S. District Judge Denise Casper in Boston permanently struck down most of his elections executive order, including its requirement that Americans show documentary proof of citizenship to register to vote. In a 59-page ruling converting her year-old preliminary injunction into a permanent one, Casper held that the Constitution "does not grant the President any specific powers over elections," that authority belongs to the states and Congress, and that the order violated separation of powers. She also found the Justice Department "failed to demonstrate the alleged fraud" used to justify the order, and that the policy "would have disenfranchised thousands." The case was brought by 19 states. It is the latest in a string of defeats: three separate federal judges have now blocked the 2025 order. The ruling lays bare the futility loop Trump is in — courts say he can't do it by executive order, so he's trying to do it by legislation (the SAVE Act), which can't get 60 votes in the Senate, which is why he's now holding popular bills hostage to force it through. Noncitizen voting is already a felony and is vanishingly rare; the federal registration form already requires attesting to citizenship under penalty of prison or deportation.

Incompetence

Vance Crashes Supreme Court Dinner Uninvited — Chief Justice Roberts Ignores Him Completely

JD Vance showed up uninvited to a private dinner hosted by Chief Justice Roberts for his former law clerks, tagging along as a plus-one with his wife Usha. Roberts didn't give Vance special seating, didn't mention him in his remarks, and treated the Vice President of the United States as a forgettable guest. This from the man who called Roberts "profoundly wrong" for believing in checks on executive power — while Trump calls the justices "lap dogs" and "disloyal" and is trying to intimidate the court ahead of major rulings.

authoritarianism

Judge Throws Out Charges Against Abrego Garcia: DOJ Prosecution Was "Vindictive" Retaliation for Challenging His Wrongful Deportation

A federal judge dismissed human smuggling charges against Kilmar Abrego Garcia, ruling the prosecution was vindictive retaliation for his legal fight to return from wrongful deportation. The charges stemmed from a 2022 traffic stop that was closed without action — then reopened by Deputy AG Todd Blanche immediately after the Supreme Court ordered his return. The judge quoted Robert Jackson's warning about "picking the person first and the crime second." The DOJ called him "an activist judge."

policy

"I'll Remember Them": Trump Pressures Companies Not to Claim $175 Billion in Tariff Refunds the Supreme Court Says They're Owed

After the Supreme Court struck down Trump's IEEPA tariffs as unconstitutional (6–3), companies are owed up to $175 billion in refunds. Trump is now publicly pressuring them not to claim the money: calling companies that don't seek refunds "brilliant" and warning "I'll remember them." The president is using implicit threats to discourage businesses from exercising a legal right affirmed by the Supreme Court.

Chief Justice Roberts — Trump raged at 1 AM that SCOTUS should watch Fox News
Incompetence

Trump Rages at Supreme Court in 1 AM Meltdown: Justices Should Watch Fox News

At 1 AM, Trump posted that the Supreme Court should have "studied" Mark Levin's Fox News show to understand the 14th Amendment. This after his own appointees were skeptical at oral arguments, Roberts told him "It's the same Constitution," and he left the hearing early.

Chief Justice John Roberts, who told Trump's lawyer "It's the same Constitution"
Constitutional Violations

SCOTUS Skeptical of Birthright Order — Roberts: "It's the Same Constitution." Trump Left Halfway Through.

At oral arguments, both liberal and conservative justices challenged Trump's birthright citizenship order. Roberts: "It's the same Constitution." Jackson: "Are we bringing pregnant women in for depositions?" Trump attended — the first president ever — but left halfway through.

Constitutional Violations

Supreme Court Strikes Down IEEPA Tariffs 6-3

The Supreme Court ruled 6-3 that Trump lacked authority to impose tariffs under IEEPA, with Chief Justice Roberts writing he lacked "peacetime authority" to tax. Over $130 billion had already been collected.

Incompetence

Tariff Trade War Economic Damage

Trump's tariffs constituted the largest U.S. tax increase as a percentage of GDP since 1993, costing average households $1,500/year. The U.S. lost the equivalent of 2,800 factories. The Supreme Court ruled his tariff authority was unauthorized.

Cruelty & Rights Abuses

Wrongful Deportation of Kilmar Abrego Garcia

A Maryland man with explicit court-ordered protection from deportation was mistakenly deported to El Salvador's CECOT prison. The Supreme Court ruled 9-0 the government must facilitate his return. Trump defied the ruling for months.