Trump, Vance, Musk Criticize US Courts Amid Judicial Pushback On Policies
United States President Donald Trump, Vice President JD Vance, and Elon Musk, head of the newly established Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), have intensified their criticism of the judiciary, condemning judges who have blocked key policies in Trump’s second term.
They argue that courts are overstepping their authority by interfering in executive decisions, framing the rulings as judicial overreach.
Recently, courts have struck down Trump’s efforts to:
- Abolish birthright citizenship
- Withhold federal grants
- Restructure agencies such as USAID and the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau
The administration suffered another legal setback over the weekend when a federal judge temporarily barred DOGE from accessing the Treasury Department’s federal payment system, which contains sensitive financial data on millions of Americans.
Elon Musk swiftly denounced the ruling, accusing the judge of corruption and calling for impeachment.
Vice President JD Vance, a vocal critic of judicial oversight on executive authority, reinforced his belief that presidents should not be bound by court rulings they deem illegitimate. Speaking to ABC News, he argued:
“If a judge tried to tell a general how to conduct a military operation, that would be illegal. If a judge tried to command the attorney general in how to use her discretion as a prosecutor, that’s also illegal. Judges aren’t allowed to control the executive’s legitimate power.”
On Monday, a federal judge ruled that the administration had violated a prior court order by freezing federal spending and ordered an immediate reinstatement of halted funds.
When asked about the ruling, Trump doubled down on his administration’s position, telling reporters:
“When a president can’t look for fraud, waste, and abuse, we don’t have a country anymore. No judge should, frankly, be allowed to make that kind of decision. It’s a disgrace.”
Trump’s ongoing battle with the judiciary reflects his administration’s broader push to expand presidential authority, arguing that executive power should rest solely under his control.
Legal experts suggest the administration is deliberately setting up legal battles that could escalate to the Supreme Court, testing the limits of presidential power.
However, Democrats warn that Trump’s defiance of judicial oversight threatens constitutional checks and balances.
Connecticut Sen. Chris Murphy, appearing on ABC’s This Week, called the administration’s stance a “constitutional crisis”, comparing it to Watergate.
“The president is attempting to seize control of power, and for corrupt purposes.”
California Sen. Adam Schiff directly responded to Vance on X:
“JD, we both went to law school. But we don’t have to be lawyers to know that ignoring court decisions we don’t like puts us on a dangerous path to lawlessness.”
Despite Democratic opposition, most Republicans are backing Trump.
Arkansas Sen. Tom Cotton labeled the judge who blocked DOGE’s access to Treasury data an “outlaw.”
House Judiciary Committee Chairman Jim Jordan defended Musk’s role, stating on CNN that he was simply “carrying out the will” of the president.
As legal battles escalate, the conflict between the Trump administration and the judiciary is set to test the limits of executive power in America’s constitutional system.
