Trump and allies rail at courts as some Republicans defend judiciary
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President Trump in the Oval Office of the White House on Feb. 11. Photo: Aaron Schwartz/CNP/Bloomberg via Getty Images
President Trump on Tuesday alleged judges are trying to stop the administration from seeking out corruption amid attacks on the power of the judicial branch to curb orders from the executive.
The big picture: While influential voices like Trump, Vice President J.D. Vance, Elon Musk and House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) have started calling for the power of courts to be restricted, others in the GOP are pushing back.
- The pressure against the court systems comes as some of Trump's executive orders have been met with legal challenges, none of which have resulted in a win in court for him just yet.
Driving the news: During a news briefing at the Oval Office alongside Musk on Tuesday, Trump said: "It seems hard to believe that judges want to try and stop us from looking for corruption."
- He added, "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 I think that's a very serious violation."
Catch up quick: A federal judge last week blocked the Musk-headed Department of Governmental Efficiency from accessing sensitive Treasury information.
- Musk then accused the judge of being corrupt on X Saturday, calling for him to be impeached immediately.
- Without specifically addressing the situation, Vance said on X the following day, "Judges aren't allowed to control the executive's legitimate power."
- Rep. Eli Crane said on X Tuesday he's drafted articles of impeachment against U.S. District Judge Paul Engelmayer for Manhattan, calling his actions Saturday to limit the DOGE's access to the Treasury's sensitive personal data "judicial overreach."
- Speaker Johnson joined in on the chorus Tuesday, saying the courts should take a "step back" from the challenges to Musk and DOGE's efforts to transform the federal government and "allow these processes to play out."
Zoom out: Some Republican lawmakers are starting to push back on the attacks against judges and the court system, and are defending checks and balances.
- Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) said Monday, "We've got a system of checks and balances, and that's what I see working," per ABC News. "I learned in eighth grade civics about checks and balances, and I just expect the process to work its way out," he added.
- Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-S.D.) said courts play an important role and among the three branches of government "the judiciary is the one that resolves some of the differences that often occur between executive and legislative branches."
- He said the judiciary has moderated both executive and congressional decisions over recent years and that he expects that to continue, per ABC.
Go deeper: Johnson: Courts should take a "step back"
