(Originally published by The Guardian on February 16, 2025.)

Thus far, the administration has pursued appeals. But remarks from JD Vance and Elon Musk echo authoritarians worldwide.

Will the Trump administration defy the courts?

JD Vance’s tweet last weekend that “judges aren’t allowed to control the executive’s legitimate power” has sparked widespread concern that the Trump administration might become the first in US history to do so. At least at this stage, it is not clear that it will come to that, notwithstanding the president’s proclivity for asserting limitless executive power. But as other countries’ experiences show, if he were to adopt the position of the US vice-president, Trump would be crossing perhaps the most fundamental line demarcating constitutional democracy from autocracy.

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