Trump Action Archive

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• Federal judge orders Trump to sit for deposition in BBC lawsuit; threatens sanctions for non-compliance — Federal magistrate judge Enjoliqué Lett ordered Donald Trump to cooperate with discovery and sit for a deposition by 11 December in his $10 billion lawsuit against the BBC over a Panorama documentary from 6 January 2021. The judge rejected Trump's request to prevent videotaping of the deposition, found his legal team had not produced adequate internal documents, gave them 30 days to comply, and threatened sanctions including dismissal of the suit. The judge also allowed the BBC's subpoena to Mar-a-Lago to proceed.

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• Preliminary injunction ruling — California Nurses Association v. Mullin (N.D. Cal.) 4:26-cv-10680 — Judge Araceli Martínez-Olguín granted a preliminary injunction for the California Nurses Association and National Nurses United (CNA/NNU). The court found they are likely to succeed on their claim that the Unlawful Voter Initiative and Surge violate Section 11(b) of the Voting Rights Act, which bars intimidating people for urging or aiding others to vote. It reasoned that the use of admittedly flawed data that sweeps in U.S. citizens, rushed reviews, and publicized deployments of armed officers before the midterms created a fear among voter-outreach members the court found “objectively reasonable,” and it rejected Defendants' arguments that federal officers fall outside the statute or that their investigative authority overrides it. CNA/NNU were determined to be the only Plaintiffs with standing and only on that claim. The court found their members' fear of being wrongly targeted showed a cognizable harm to their voter-assistance and mobilization work, but not to their own voting, so it did not reach the constitutional right-to-vote claim or the § 11(b) claim on intimidation of voters themselves. It also did not reach the APA claims because CNA/NNU had not, at this stage, shown a discrete “final agency action.” In California, Connecticut, Georgia, Missouri, Nevada, New York, Pennsylvania, Washington, and Wisconsin, Defendants are enjoined, through Nov. 3, 2026, at 8:00 p.m. (or poll closing), from conducting election-related field operations and interviews involving people they know, suspect, or should reasonably know or suspect are U.S. citizens, and from conducting such operations against those individuals based wholly on TECS records (entries in a DHS law enforcement database) generated by the Voter Eligibility Matching Policy. The order is stayed until 5:00 p.m. on Oct. 23, 2026.
• Federal judge restricts DHS voter investigations in 9 states — On October 22, a federal judge restricted certain Department of Homeland Security investigations into suspected noncitizen voting across nine states, finding that unreliable government data could cause citizens to be wrongly investigated. The judge paused her order until 5 p.m. Eastern time on Friday to allow the administration time to appeal.

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• Motion denied — DC Preservation League v. Department of Interior (D.D.C.) 1:26-cv-00477 — Judge Reyes denied Defendants' motion to disqualify her from the case under 28 U.S.C. § 455(a), which requires a federal judge to step aside when her “impartiality might reasonably be questioned.” The court held that Defendants had not met their “heavy burden” of showing, by clear and convincing evidence, that a reasonable observer informed of the full record would doubt her impartiality. It provided excerpts from prior hearing transcripts, showing its repeated praise of Defendants and noting that it had denied Plaintiffs' requests for relief nearly a dozen times before granting their motion for a TRO on tree removal at East Potomac Golf Course. Citing Liteky v. United States (1994), the court explained that a judge's “expressions of impatience, dissatisfaction, annoyance, and even anger” during proceedings do not by itself establish disqualifying bias. It also stated that Defendants' separation-of-powers objections were substantive legal arguments that a recusal motion is not the place to resolve.
• — In a minute order , Judge Reyes denied Plaintiffs' motion to extend the TRO, which was set to expire Oct. 26, and denied without prejudice their motion to recall Deputy Chief of Staff Greg Wischer to testify further about his text messages with Tom and Gavin Fazio, noting that Plaintiffs may renew their motion to resume testimony before a permanent injunction hearing. The court also ordered Defendants to ensure Wischer has taken appropriate steps to preserve the contents of his personal phone, and expanded his existing preservation order to cover any material concerning East Potomac Golf Course and this litigation, directing that the order be “broadly construed.”

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• Federal court dismisses Trump administration lawsuit against New York City sanctuary laws — US District Judge Ramón E Reyes Jr dismissed a lawsuit filed by the Trump administration challenging New York City's sanctuary laws on Thursday. The judge affirmed that federal law does not obligate states to participate in immigration enforcement or compel them to comply with federal requests. The ruling rejected the administration's argument that local officials were illegally obstructing its immigration agenda. Mayor Zohran Mamdani celebrated the decision, stating the city would not force public servants into deportation roles or abandon immigrants.

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• Senate Democrats signal they will not confirm Trump Supreme Court nominees if they win control — Sen. Chuck Schumer put Trump on notice that if Democrats win control of the Senate, they do not intend to put MAGA judges on the courts. Sen. Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) said he does not think a Democratic-led Senate would confirm a Trump pick for the Supreme Court, stating: "Given the history of Trump nominees, I think it is slim to none that we would support a nominee from this admin. Because we've seen this movie, we know how it ends, which is a politician in robes who is following Trump's orders on most major questions." Some Democrats argue there should be no question of confirming a Trump pick after Sen. Mitch McConnell held a seat open for 10 months under Obama to let a Republican president fill it instead. Sen. Ruben Gallego stated: "No, we've got to do exactly what McConnell did to us. To even the scales." However, Gallego said he does not want to see the practice continue after Democrats even things out.

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• Trump refuses to rule out declaring state of emergency before midterm elections — In a Time magazine interview, President Trump declined to rule out declaring a state of emergency before the November midterm elections, stating "I don't rule anything out or in. We'll see." He also said he "could use" the Insurrection Act to deploy military troops domestically, noting that "a lot of people think I should use it sometimes." Trump dismissed low approval ratings as "fake numbers" and blamed media for misrepresenting his earlier statements about the Iran war's duration.
• Trump expresses regret over Supreme Court appointments and discusses using Insurrection Act — In a 75-minute TIME magazine interview, Trump stated he regretted appointing Justices Neil Gorsuch, Brett Kavanaugh, and Amy Coney Barrett because they ruled against him on tariffs, mail ballots, and birthright citizenship. He expressed unapologetic expectations of judicial loyalty, stating "I do like loyalty, yeah." When asked whether he would rule out declaring a state of emergency before the midterms unless there was widespread violence, Trump said "I don't rule anything out or in" and indicated he could use the Insurrection Act, saying "A lot of people think I should use it sometimes."
• Trump defies congressional authority in TIME magazine interview — The President of the United States openly defied Congress during a TIME magazine interview, according to the article. The specific nature of the defiance is not detailed in the text provided, but the article characterizes the President's statements as demonstrating "no grasp on reality at all" and notes the defiance as part of a pattern of constitutional violations occurring under the current administration.

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• Time magazine releases transcript of Trump interview revealing cognitive impairment — Time magazine released a lightly edited transcript of an interview conducted by senior political correspondent Eric Cortellessa and editor-in-chief Sam Jacobs with Trump at the White House on September 28. The transcript reveals a president unable to answer questions coherently, obsessed with personal architectural projects, consumed by fantasy, and angry at media criticism. Trump claimed Supreme Court justices he appointed "voted against me too often" and suggested he expects loyalty from them, refused to rule out using the Insurrection Act before midterms or annihilating Iran, and made false claims about his cognitive abilities and poll numbers.

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• Supreme Court strikes down Trump tariffs on foreign countries — The U.S. Supreme Court struck down President Trump's far-reaching tariffs on nearly every other country as part of a series of recent judicial defeats. The ruling was among multiple decisions this term in which the Court blocked or reversed Trump administration policies on tariffs, birthright citizenship restrictions, and Federal Reserve governance.

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• Utah Republicans threatened to impeach judge over gerrymandering enforcement — Utah Republicans threatened to impeach a state judge for enforcing a constitutional ban on gerrymandering. When the impeachment threat did not succeed in stopping the judge's rulings, Republicans subsequently packed the state Supreme Court to overturn the judge's decisions and allow gerrymandered districts.
• Utah Republicans packed state Supreme Court to overturn redistricting protections — After their impeachment threat against a judge enforcing a constitutional ban on gerrymandering failed, Utah Republicans packed the state Supreme Court. This court-packing effort was designed to overturn judicial protections against gerrymandered districts and allow partisan redistricting to proceed.

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• Federal judge blocks Minnesota extradition request for Texas ICE agent accused of shooting — Christian Castro, a US Immigration and Customs Enforcement agent, was charged in Minnesota with assault and falsely reporting a crime after allegedly shooting Venezuelan man Julio Cesar Sosa-Celis in the leg in January. Minnesota sought his extradition from Texas custody, but US District Judge Fernando Rodriguez Jr., a Trump appointee, declined to order Texas to comply. Texas Governor Greg Abbott refused the extradition request, citing unrelated fraud investigations in Minnesota. Castro faces release from Texas jail under state law after 90 days of detention.
• Texas federal judge denies Minnesota extradition request for ICE agent — Christian Castro, an ICE agent charged with shooting and injuring a man in Minneapolis, was released from a jail in Texas after a federal judge denied Minnesota's request to keep him in custody. Minnesota officials had filed a lawsuit asking a judge to order Governor Greg Abbott to sign an extradition request so Castro would return to the state to face four counts of assault and one count of falsely reporting a crime. Judge Fernando Rodriguez Jr. of the Southern District of Texas sided with Texas, allowing Castro's release and permitting Texas to continue weighing whether to comply with the extradition request. Minnesota officials expressed concern that Castro will flee to Mexico to evade the justice system if released. Castro is charged with shooting and injuring Julio Cesar Sosa-Celis, a Venezuelan immigrant, and then lying about the circumstances of the shooting.

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• Federal judge blocks Minnesota extradition request for Texas ICE agent accused of shooting — Christian Castro, a US Immigration and Customs Enforcement agent, was charged in Minnesota with assault and falsely reporting a crime after allegedly shooting Venezuelan man Julio Cesar Sosa-Celis in the leg in January. Minnesota sought his extradition from Texas custody, but US District Judge Fernando Rodriguez Jr., a Trump appointee, declined to order Texas to comply. Texas Governor Greg Abbott refused the extradition request, citing unrelated fraud investigations in Minnesota. Castro faces release from Texas jail under state law after 90 days of detention.
• Texas federal judge denies Minnesota extradition request for ICE agent — Christian Castro, an ICE agent charged with shooting and injuring a man in Minneapolis, was released from a jail in Texas after a federal judge denied Minnesota's request to keep him in custody. Minnesota officials had filed a lawsuit asking a judge to order Governor Greg Abbott to sign an extradition request so Castro would return to the state to face four counts of assault and one count of falsely reporting a crime. Judge Fernando Rodriguez Jr. of the Southern District of Texas sided with Texas, allowing Castro's release and permitting Texas to continue weighing whether to comply with the extradition request. Minnesota officials expressed concern that Castro will flee to Mexico to evade the justice system if released. Castro is charged with shooting and injuring Julio Cesar Sosa-Celis, a Venezuelan immigrant, and then lying about the circumstances of the shooting.

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• Clarence Thomas sat for 9.5 hours of podcast interviews with Republican Senator Ted Cruz — Sitting Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas agreed to approximately 9.5 hours of one-on-one podcast interviews with Republican Senator Ted Cruz. The interviews represent a departure from institutional norms of judicial independence from partisan politics.

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• US Supreme Court lifts injunction, allows Trump mail-in voting crackdown to proceed — The US Supreme Court voted 6-3 along ideological lines to lift a June injunction from a Massachusetts federal judge that had blocked Trump's March executive order targeting mail-in voting. The order directs the government to create a "state citizenship list" restricting mail-in ballot delivery and instructs the DOJ to prosecute state and local election officials deemed to have issued ballots to ineligible voters. Democratic-led states and voting rights groups challenged the order as unconstitutional; a second injunction remains in place. The ruling allows implementation to move forward while litigation continues ahead of November midterm elections.
• Supreme Court eased restrictions on Trump's mail-in ballot executive order — A divided Supreme Court lifted one of two injunctions blocking Trump's March executive order restricting mail-in voting, ruling the states' challenge was premature rather than deciding the order's merits. The unsigned opinion held that agencies had not finalized implementation rules when the challenge was filed. The USPS published final rules Friday and plans to make them official Wednesday. Legal analysts note the ruling is narrow and technical, with additional litigation expected as lower courts may issue new injunctions against the finalized rules before the November elections.
• Supreme Court releases opinion in Trump v. California (26A124) — The Supreme Court released an official slip opinion in Trump v. California. Docket number(s): 26A124.
• Supreme Court gave Trump procedural victory on mail-voting restrictions — The Supreme Court ruled Monday that states challenging Trump's executive order restricting mail voting sued too early, granting the administration a procedural victory. The Court explicitly stated its decision did not mean the administration's implementation would be lawful. The Postal Service subsequently issued rules implementing parts of the order, including new voter-list and mail-ballot-processing requirements. New lawsuits followed, and on Thursday, U.S. District Judge Talwani temporarily blocked the Postal Service from enforcing the new mail-voting rule for 14 days pending further court consideration.

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• Trump appealed to Supreme Court to override lower courts' rulings on ballroom construction authority — Trump appealed to the Supreme Court seeking to override lower courts' rulings that he lacks the authority to build a ballroom structure without congressional permission. The ballroom project has become a point of controversy, with Trump spending significant time and resources on Washington, D.C. renovation and beautification projects while the administration faces other pressing issues.
• Supreme Court deadline set for Trump ballroom construction intervention — Tomorrow (August 21, 2026) is the deadline for the Supreme Court to intervene on Trump's ballroom construction project. If the Court chooses not to take the case, construction must be halted based on a prior court order.
• Supreme Court temporarily halts lower court order blocking White House ballroom construction — Chief Justice John Roberts signed a temporary order on Friday permitting construction of Trump's controversial White House ballroom to continue while the Supreme Court considers an emergency appeal from the administration. An appeals court had ordered work to stop pending legal review, concluding the project likely requires congressional approval. The administration argued the 90,000-square-foot ballroom and underground military facility are critical to presidential security. Democrats criticized the decision as "rubber stamping Trump's vanity-driven, gilded corruption." The project, already 65% complete after 10 months, is expected to cost over $400 million.

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• Federal appeals court restricted immigration enforcement at places of worship — A three-judge panel of the Fourth Circuit upheld an order limiting federal immigration enforcement at eight houses of worship affiliated with Quaker, Sikh, and Cooperative Baptist Fellowship groups. The court concluded that the groups were likely to succeed in their argument that the Trump administration's policy violated the Religious Freedom Restoration Act, keeping the restriction in place.

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• North Carolina legislature added Republicans to Judicial Standards Commission — The North Carolina legislature added more Republicans to the Judicial Standards Commission a couple of years prior to August 2026. This action concentrated partisan control over the body responsible for investigating ethics complaints against judges, further enabling the targeting of Democratic justices.
• North Carolina legislature created new Family Court with judges appointed by Chief Justice — The North Carolina legislature's recent budget bill created a new "special" Family Court whose judges will be appointed directly by Chief Justice Paul Newby. These judges can serve until age 78, the highest mandatory judicial retirement age in the country, concentrating judicial appointment power in the chief justice.
• Chief Justice Newby given power over new business court with wide jurisdiction — Chief Justice Paul Newby was previously given power over a new business court with exceptionally wide jurisdiction, further concentrating judicial authority in his hands and enabling him to shape outcomes in commercial disputes.
• Chief Justice Paul Newby previously pushed investigation into Democratic Justice Anita Earls — In 2023, North Carolina Chief Justice Paul Newby initiated an investigation into Democratic Justice Anita Earls for ethics charges related to her discussing bias and lack of diversity on the state Supreme Court. The Judicial Standards Commission backed down after Earls filed a First Amendment lawsuit. This prior action demonstrates a pattern of using ethics complaints as a tool against Democratic justices.
• Democratic Justice Allison Riggs faced baseless ethics complaint before 2024 reelection — Democratic Justice Allison Riggs faced a baseless ethics complaint in the weeks before her 2024 reelection campaign. The complaint was filed as part of a pattern of using ethics processes to target Democratic justices on the North Carolina Supreme Court.
• GOP Supreme Court majority refused to sanction Republican judges who admitted ethics violations — In 2024, ProPublica revealed that the GOP-controlled North Carolina Supreme Court majority refused to sanction two Republican judges who admitted to violating ethics rules with serious consequences. This demonstrates a double standard in ethics enforcement, with Democratic judges targeted while Republican judges face no consequences.
• North Carolina legislature passes bill allowing GOP Supreme Court justices to remove Democratic judges — The North Carolina Republican-controlled legislature passed a bill that grants the state Supreme Court majority power to remove judges without the recommendation of the Judicial Standards Commission. The bill would allow GOP justices to unilaterally determine ethics violations and remove Democratic justices, circumventing the votes of millions of voters who elected them. The measure faces a likely veto from Democratic Governor Josh Stein, though two former Democrats in the legislature have recently voted to override vetoes.

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• Sen. Bill Cassidy Announces Vote to Confirm Todd Blanche as Attorney General — Senator Bill Cassidy (R-LA) announced his decision to vote in favor of confirming Todd Blanche, former personal attorney to Donald Trump, as Attorney General. This decision came despite opposition from some Republicans, including Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R-AK), who criticized Blanche's handling of various issues, including the release of Epstein files and immunity protections for Trump and his family. Cassidy's vote is pivotal in the confirmation process, as it ensures Blanche's appointment despite concerns about his loyalty to Trump over constitutional duties.
• Todd Blanche clears Senate confirmation hurdle for attorney general — Senator Bill Cassidy announced Friday he will vote to confirm Todd Blanche as attorney general, removing the final Republican holdout and clearing the path for Blanche's confirmation by a narrow margin. Blanche, Trump's former personal lawyer and current acting attorney general, had faced opposition from Republican senators Lisa Murkowski and Susan Collins over concerns about Department of Justice independence. Cassidy's support follows weeks of White House pressure and his own primary loss to a Trump-backed challenger in May.
• Bill Cassidy supports Blanche's confirmation as Attorney General — Senator Bill Cassidy has announced his support for Blanche's confirmation as Attorney General, likely securing the necessary votes for her appointment. This development follows a period of uncertainty regarding Blanche's confirmation prospects, with Cassidy's backing seen as pivotal in the Senate's decision-making process.
• Senate Judiciary Committee approves Todd Blanche as Attorney General — The Senate Judiciary Committee approved Todd Blanche's nomination as permanent Attorney General, putting him on track for confirmation by an extremely slim majority in the full Senate. Blanche's confirmation follows his release of documents purporting to rescind the "anti-weaponization fund," which secured support from holdout Republican senators.

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• US appeals court rejects Trump administration bid to redetain Georgetown scholar Badar Khan Suri — The Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals rejected the Trump administration's attempt to redetain Badar Khan Suri, an Indian postdoctoral fellow at Georgetown University arrested by ICE in March 2025 for pro-Palestinian social media speech. The 2-1 decision upheld a lower court's bail release and rejected the government's motion to move the case from Virginia to Texas, affirming that detained immigrants retain habeas corpus rights to challenge detention in federal court even during pending removal proceedings.

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• House Judiciary Chair Jordan Urges Prosecution of Former Special Counsel Jack Smith — House Judiciary Committee chair Jim Jordan sent a letter to acting Attorney General Todd Blanche urging the Trump Justice Department to prosecute former special counsel Jack Smith, alleging he made false statements during closed-door testimony. Smith's lawyers countered that the referral reflects "a chilling eagerness to weaponize the justice system by attacking a career, nonpartisan public servant." The allegation centers on Smith's testimony regarding how his office obtained congressional text messages, with Republicans claiming he knowingly lied by not mentioning a NARA subpoena.
• House Judiciary Committee refers Jack Smith for criminal investigation — House Judiciary Committee Chair Jim Jordan referred former special counsel Jack Smith to the acting attorney general for alleged perjury, claiming Smith made false statements to Congress about access to lawmakers' phone records during testimony in December 2025 and January 2026. Jordan asserted that DOJ documents revealed Smith's team had access to text messages of 44 members of Congress, contradicting Smith's prior testimony that they only had "toll records." Smith's attorneys denied the allegations, characterizing the referral as weaponization of the justice system and retaliation for investigating Trump.

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• Todd Blanche confirmed as attorney general despite judicial concerns about fitness — Todd Blanche, Trump's former criminal defense attorney, held his confirmation hearing for attorney general. During the hearing, Blanche slipped when asked if he and Trump were friends, initially answering "I'm his lawyer" before correcting himself. The New York Times editorial board and U.S. District Court Judge Kathleen Williams raised concerns about Blanche's fitness to practice law, noting that he had signed off on a "slush fund/immunity deal" with Trump and associates designed to avoid judicial review. Blanche has openly used the Department of Justice to pursue Trump's political opponents.

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• Todd Blanche confirmation hearing for attorney general — Todd Blanche, Trump's personal attorney and acting attorney general since April 2026, faced Senate Judiciary Committee confirmation hearings on July 15–16. He downplayed his relationship with Trump, defended his handling of Epstein files (which contained redaction errors exposing survivor identities), and addressed a $1.8 billion "slush fund" settlement with the IRS that granted Trump and family immunity from tax audits. A federal judge had excoriated the settlement as collusive. Blanche also faced questions on January 6 clemencies, the transfer of Ghislaine Maxwell to minimum security, and the arrest of Newark's mayor at an ICE facility.
• Ex-DOJ lawyer testifies that Todd Blanche fired her for refusing to restore gun rights to Trump ally — Liz Oyer, former pardon attorney, testified before the Senate Judiciary Committee that Todd Blanche, Trump's nominee for attorney general, terminated her employment after she refused to recommend restoring firearms rights to actor Mel Gibson, a Trump ally with a domestic violence conviction. Blanche denied the firing was retaliatory, claiming her decisions were inconsistent with Trump's authority. Oyer called his statement "provably false" and urged senators to reject his nomination, alleging he is weaponizing DOJ as Trump's personal law firm.

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• US Supreme Court rules president can fire independent agency heads at will — On Monday, the Supreme Court ruled in favor of President Trump in a case brought by former Federal Trade Commissioner Rebecca Slaughter, who was fired in March. The court overturned a 90-year-old precedent by holding that the president has the right to remove the head of any federal government agency at will. The decision, justified through the unitary executive theory, grants the president sole total control over the executive branch and opens the door to what critics call an "imperial presidency."

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• US Supreme Court rules geofence warrants require Fourth Amendment privacy protections — The US Supreme Court ruled 6-3 in Chatrie v. US that law enforcement's use of geofence warrants—which compel tech companies to hand over smartphone location data from people near crime scenes—constitutes a Fourth Amendment search requiring constitutional privacy protections. Justice Elena Kagan wrote the majority opinion, holding that individuals have a reasonable expectation of privacy in cell phone location records even when in public spaces. The ruling rejected the government's argument that accessing limited location data does not trigger Fourth Amendment protections and clarified that opting into location services does not constitute voluntary consent to government surveillance.
• Court rules that law enforcement’s use of “geofence warrant” was a “search” — The court has ruled that the use of "geofence warrants" by law enforcement constitutes a "search" under the Fourth Amendment. This decision impacts how digital data can be accessed by authorities, requiring them to obtain a warrant before accessing location data from electronic devices. The ruling emphasizes the need for privacy protections in the digital age and sets a precedent for future cases involving digital privacy and law enforcement practices.
• Supreme Court releases opinion in Chatrie v. United States (25-112) — The Supreme Court released an official slip opinion in Chatrie v. United States. Docket number(s): 25-112.

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• Preliminary injunction ruling — Cook v. Trump ( D.D.C.) 1:25-cv-02903 — On a 5-4 vote, the Supreme Court denied the government's application for a stay of the preliminary injunction, keeping Federal Reserve Governor Lisa Cook in her position while the litigation continues. The Court decided on the “narrow” statutory ground that the president failed to afford her notice and opportunity to respond prior to her termination required by the Federal Reserve Act, 12 U.S.C. §242. The Court declined to reach Governor Cook's constitutional due process claim - that her removal without prior notice or hearing violated the Fifth Amendment - finding the statutory violation alone sufficient to deny the stay. The Court further held that the president's determination of “cause” is judicially reviewable, that “cause” demands a substantial threshold turning on the seriousness of the alleged misconduct and its nexus to a Governor's professional duties, and that federal courts may issue interim injunctions keeping a removed officer in place while litigation proceeds. The majority also held that the Federal Reserve's for-cause removal protection is consistent with Article II of the Constitution, declining to unsettle a “special arrangement sanctioned by history” in which monetary policy is not subject to political interference. Chief Justice Roberts wrote for a five-Justice majority joined by Justices Sotomayor, Kagan, Kavanaugh, and Jackson. Justice Kavanaugh concurred separately to confirm that the Federal Reserve may continue as an independent agency following Trump v. Slaughter . Justice Jackson concurred separately, arguing that the stay application could be resolved on the equities alone because the government showed no irreparable harm. Justice Thomas dissented , arguing that the alleged mortgage fraud was “cause,” that the statute's text requires no notice or hearing, and that the Act's removal restriction is unconstitutional. Justice Alito, joined by Justice Gorsuch, also dissented , arguing that the Court should have confined itself to the two issues addressed by the lower courts. Justice Barrett dissented separately, faulting the majority for reaching the Article II constitutional question the government had “expressly waived” and arguing the injunction bars removal on the mortgage-fraud grounds even with proper process, warranting a stay.

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• Supreme Court blocks Trump's removal of Federal Reserve Board member Lisa Cook — The U.S. Supreme Court ruled 5–4 that Federal Reserve Board member Lisa Cook can remain in her position while her legal challenge to Trump's removal efforts proceeds through the courts, effectively blocking Trump's attempt to fire her.
• US Supreme Court rules Trump's firing of Lisa Cook from Federal Reserve was unconstitutional — The US Supreme Court issued a 5-4 decision blocking Donald Trump's attempt to immediately remove Lisa Cook, a Federal Reserve governor and Biden appointee, from her position. Trump had fired Cook via social media in August 2025, alleging unproven mortgage fraud. The Court ruled that Trump lacked constitutional authority to fire Cook without cause and that she was entitled to statutory procedural protections before dismissal. Cook, the first Black woman on the Fed's board, retained her seat while contesting the allegations.
• Preliminary injunction ruling — Cook v. Trump ( D.D.C.) 1:25-cv-02903 — On a 5-4 vote, the Supreme Court denied the government's application for a stay of the preliminary injunction, keeping Federal Reserve Governor Lisa Cook in her position while the litigation continues. The Court decided on the “narrow” statutory ground that the president failed to afford her notice and opportunity to respond prior to her termination required by the Federal Reserve Act, 12 U.S.C. §242. The Court declined to reach Governor Cook's constitutional due process claim - that her removal without prior notice or hearing violated the Fifth Amendment - finding the statutory violation alone sufficient to deny the stay. The Court further held that the president's determination of “cause” is judicially reviewable, that “cause” demands a substantial threshold turning on the seriousness of the alleged misconduct and its nexus to a Governor's professional duties, and that federal courts may issue interim injunctions keeping a removed officer in place while litigation proceeds. The majority also held that the Federal Reserve's for-cause removal protection is consistent with Article II of the Constitution, declining to unsettle a “special arrangement sanctioned by history” in which monetary policy is not subject to political interference. Chief Justice Roberts wrote for a five-Justice majority joined by Justices Sotomayor, Kagan, Kavanaugh, and Jackson. Justice Kavanaugh concurred separately to confirm that the Federal Reserve may continue as an independent agency following Trump v. Slaughter . Justice Jackson concurred separately, arguing that the stay application could be resolved on the equities alone because the government showed no irreparable harm. Justice Thomas dissented , arguing that the alleged mortgage fraud was “cause,” that the statute's text requires no notice or hearing, and that the Act's removal restriction is unconstitutional. Justice Alito, joined by Justice Gorsuch, also dissented , arguing that the Court should have confined itself to the two issues addressed by the lower courts. Justice Barrett dissented separately, faulting the majority for reaching the Article II constitutional question the government had “expressly waived” and arguing the injunction bars removal on the mortgage-fraud grounds even with proper process, warranting a stay.
• Court prevents Trump from firing Fed governor — A court ruling has prevented former President Trump from firing a Federal Reserve governor. This decision is significant as it upholds the independence of the Federal Reserve, which is crucial for maintaining economic stability and preventing undue political influence over monetary policy. The ruling reinforces the separation of powers by ensuring that executive actions do not overreach into independent agencies.
• Supreme Court releases opinion in Trump v. Cook (25A312) — The Supreme Court released an official slip opinion in Trump v. Cook. Docket number(s): 25A312.