Why Trump has been attacking the Supreme Court, with 3 key rulings ahead
Details
- Publish Date:
- June 22, 2026
- Author(s):
-
- Jouvenal, Justin
- Source:
- The Washington Post
- Related Person(s):
- Related Organization(s):
Summary
“It seems like almost 100 years since you’ve had a clash approaching this level between the president and the court,” said Jeffrey L. Fisher, a law professor at Stanford University. “You’d have to go back to the New Deal to have any kind of an analogue.”
Fisher said it appears Trump is trying to demand loyalty from the justices the way he has with lawmakers and administration appointees, but he lacks an effective cudgel. Supreme Court justices have lifetime appointments, so Trump cannot threaten them with primary challenges or fire them.
Whatever the outcome in the remaining cases this term, Fisher said he sees no letup in the tension between Trump and the court.
“Almost all substantive policymaking is coming out of the White House instead of Congress, so it stands to reason there is going to be continued friction between the courts and the president,” Fisher said. “All the more so when you have a president that describes himself as willing to push boundaries.”