Executive Branch

Meet the federal judge labeled ‘radical left lunatic’ by Trump, derided by DOJ for ‘micromanaged’ request

A federal judge facing President Donald Trump’s ire because of his rulings on deportation authority was once a housemate with Brett Kavanaugh, a future U.S. Supreme Court justice, at Yale Law School.

Mar 20, 2025 8:50 AM CDT

Judge orders DOGE to stop efforts to dismantle USAID

A federal judge in Maryland on Tuesday issued a preliminary injunction blocking billionaire Elon Musk and the U.S. DOGE Service from taking any further actions to dismantle the U.S. Agency for International Development.

Mar 18, 2025 5:00 PM CDT

Trump administration can, for now, enforce orders targeting DEI, appeals court says

A federal appeals court said Friday the Trump administration can, for now, enforce two executive orders that target diversity, equity and inclusion efforts within the federal government.

Mar 17, 2025 12:07 PM CDT

Trump’s deportation push tests courts’ ability to check his power

The Trump administration Monday insisted it had not violated a court order by expelling hundreds of alleged members of Venezuela’s Tren de Aragua gang to El Salvador for imprisonment, even as a federal judge ordered a halt to some deportations.

Mar 17, 2025 9:44 AM CDT

Trump asks Supreme Court to OK partial plan to end birthright citizenship

The Trump administration asked the Supreme Court on Thursday to allow U.S. officials to begin implementing a partial plan to end birthright citizenship for children born in the United States to undocumented immigrants and foreign visitors.

Mar 13, 2025 3:40 PM CDT

Citing ‘anti-democratic takeover’ by ‘activist’ plaintiffs, Trump seeks money bond for injunction requests

President Donald Trump is directing federal agencies to seek a money bond when plaintiffs file federal lawsuits against the administration that seek temporary restraining orders or preliminary injunctions.

Mar 13, 2025 3:38 PM CDT

Trump order targeting Perkins Coie is ‘affront to the Constitution,’ suit says; judge sees ‘chilling harm of blizzard proportions’

Updated: Perkins Coie has won a temporary restraining order in a lawsuit filed against the Trump administration over a directive targeting the law firm and its clients.

Mar 13, 2025 9:56 AM CDT

Foreign-aid pause likely unconstitutional, federal judge rules in ABA case

A federal judge ruled Monday that the Trump administration’s “sudden, blanket suspension of congressionally appropriated” foreign aid was likely arbitrary and capricious in violation of the Administrative Procedure Act and was likely a violation of the constitutional separation of powers.

Mar 11, 2025 11:42 AM CDT

Trump order blocks public service loan forgiveness for employees of ‘activist organizations’

Employees of “activist organizations” that support activities with a “substantial illegal purpose” should no longer be eligible for a student loan forgiveness program for borrowers in public service jobs, according to an executive order signed by President Donald Trump on Friday.

Mar 10, 2025 11:18 AM CDT

Judge orders USAID payments to some foreign aid groups by Monday

A U.S. district court judge ruled Thursday that the Trump administration must pay tens of millions of dollars in outstanding foreign aid by the end of Monday, but the fate of hundreds of millions more in spending for lifesaving food and medicine has yet to be resolved.

Mar 7, 2025 8:50 AM CST

Trump expands retribution campaign against law firms that aided his foes

President Donald Trump on Thursday targeted another elite law firm that has represented clients he considers his political enemies, sending a forceful message that he is willing to punish firms who work for people or groups that oppose his administration’s agenda.

Mar 7, 2025 8:40 AM CST

DC Circuit allows federal watchdog’s removal pending expedited appeal; US argued he had gone ‘rogue’

Updated: The U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit on Wednesday allowed the Trump administration to remove the leader of the Office of Special Counsel when it granted an emergency government request to stay a federal judge’s order pending appeal.

Mar 6, 2025 11:15 AM CST

Judge’s deadline to resume foreign-aid payments is not ‘review-worthy,’ ABA, other plaintiffs tell SCOTUS

The ABA and other groups that receive funding for foreign assistance programs told the U.S. Supreme Court on Friday that a federal judge’s deadline to resume some payments “presents no review-worthy legal question.”

Mar 3, 2025 11:53 AM CST

Judge says Trump cannot fire head of independent watchdog agency

A federal judge on Saturday said President Donald Trump cannot summarily fire the head of an independent watchdog agency, setting up a likely Supreme Court battle over Trump’s sweeping attempt to reshape the federal workforce and expand presidential power.

Mar 3, 2025 8:55 AM CST

DOJ nominees hedge on whether court orders must always be followed

Two Department of Justice nominees refused to say whether court orders must always be followed during questioning before the Senate Judiciary Committee on Wednesday.

Feb 27, 2025 3:24 PM CST