{"id":2401678,"date":"2025-02-12T07:41:01","date_gmt":"2025-02-12T12:41:01","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/legal-showdowns-against-trump-orders-are-speed-bumps-not-blockades-washington-examiner\/"},"modified":"2025-02-12T07:42:54","modified_gmt":"2025-02-12T12:42:54","slug":"legal-showdowns-against-trump-orders-are-speed-bumps-not-blockades-washington-examiner","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/legal-showdowns-against-trump-orders-are-speed-bumps-not-blockades-washington-examiner\/","title":{"rendered":"Legal showdowns against Trump orders are speed bumps, not blockades &#8211; Washington Examiner"},"content":{"rendered":"<aside class=\"mashsb-container mashsb-main mashsb-stretched\"><div class=\"mashsb-box\"><div class=\"mashsb-count mash-medium\" style=\"&quot;\"><div class=\"counts mashsbcount\">26<\/div><span class=\"mashsb-sharetext\">SHARES<\/span><\/div><div class=\"mashsb-buttons\"><a class=\"mashicon-facebook mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservativenewsdaily.net%2Fbreaking-news%2Flegal-showdowns-against-trump-orders-are-speed-bumps-not-blockades-washington-examiner%2F\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Facebook<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-twitter mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?text=&amp;url=https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/?p=2401678&amp;via=ConservNewsDly\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Twitter<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-subscribe mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"#\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Subscribe<\/span><\/a><div class=\"onoffswitch2 mash-medium mashsb-noshadow\" style=\"display:none\"><\/div><\/div>\n            <\/div>\n                <div style=\"clear:both\"><\/div><\/aside>\n            <!-- Share buttons by mashshare.net - Version: 4.0.47--><p>The article discusses the ongoing legal challenges facing\u200d President donald Trump&#8217;s governance as federal courts \u2064take action against several of his executive orders.While some \u2062conservative commentators express\u2062 concern that judicial interventions threaten Trump&#8217;s agenda, legal experts assert that these setbacks are standard in the litigation process and do not signify an ultimate defeat for his policies. <\/p>\n<p>The piece highlights various recent rulings, including restrictions on \u2064federal\u200b funding and personnel changes, noting that over 50 lawsuits challenge Trump&#8217;s extensive list of executive actions. Notably, U.S. District Judge John McConnell issued orders that unblocked federal aid funds and created\u2062 a legal hurdle for Trump&#8217;s\u200b initiatives, prompting appeals \u2064from the Justice Department.<\/p>\n<p>Responses from Trump and his allies label these judicial decisions as politically motivated\u200b overreach, arguing that they undermine executive power. Conservative voices have raised alarms regarding certain judges&#8217; backgrounds and their perceived bias against Trump&#8217;s policies.<\/p>\n<p>Despite\u2062 the uproar, legal experts maintain \u2062that such judicial checks are typical and part of \u200da balanced\u2064 system. they \u2063also indicate that many of these legal disputes may eventually escalate to the Supreme Court, \u200cwhere the conservative majority could play a critical role in determining the legality of Trump&#8217;s executive actions.  <\/p>\n<p class=\"readmore\">\n    <button onclick=\"showReadMore()\" id=\"readmorebtn\">Read more&#8230;<\/button>\n<\/p>\n<hr id=\"line\">\n<span id=\"more\"><\/p>\n<p><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><\/p>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><span class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-button\"><i class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-icon td-icon-mobile\"><\/i><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><span class=\"tdb-header-search-button-mob dropdown-toggle\" data-toggle=\"dropdown\"><i class=\"tdb-mobile-search-icon td-icon-search\"><\/i><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><span class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-button\"><i class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-icon td-icon-mobile\"><\/i><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\">\n<div class=\"tdb-drop-down-search\" aria-labelledby=\"td-header-search-button\">\n<div class=\"tdb-drop-down-search-inner\">\n<form method=\"get\" class=\"tdb-search-form\" action=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/\"><\/form>\n<div class=\"tdb-aj-search\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/#\" role=\"button\" aria-label=\"Search\" class=\"tdb-head-search-btn dropdown-toggle\" data-toggle=\"dropdown\"><i class=\"tdb-search-icon td-icon-search\"><\/i><\/a><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\">\n<h1 class=\"tdb-title-text\">Legal showdowns against Trump orders are speed bumps, not blockades<\/h1>\n<div><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-title-line\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\">\n<div id=\"Brid_1991292\" class=\"tpd-featured-video bridtv\"><\/div>\n<p>Federal courts appear increasingly at odds with President <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/donald-trump\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"\">Donald Trump<\/a>&rsquo;s efforts to reshape the federal bureaucracy and expand executive power as a flurry of temporary blocks mount against some of his cornerstone policy objectives. But Trump&rsquo;s agenda is far from being stopped by judges.<\/p>\n<div class=\"article-paywall\">\n<p>Despite gripes from conservative advocates over the legal showdowns, experts say these minor setbacks are just part of the process and by no means should be seen as a death knell for Trump&rsquo;s second-term agenda. Andy McCarthy, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nationalreview.com\/2025\/02\/the-courts-are-slowing-trump-down-not-necessarily-stopping-him\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"\">writing<\/a> for <em>National Review<\/em> on Monday, pushed against claims that the courts are in revolt against Trump, arguing instead that the legal process is simply slowing, not stopping, his policies.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">President Donald Trump speaks with reporters in the Oval Office at the White House on Tuesday, Feb. 11, 2025, in Washington. (Photo\/Alex Brandon)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>  &ldquo;For the most part, though, what we&rsquo;re seeing are the normal effects of litigation, which slow down government action. This does not mean all or even most of Trump&rsquo;s directives will be stopped,&rdquo; McCarthy wrote.<\/p>\n<p>Any perception of setbacks against Trump&rsquo;s efforts is likely due in part to the sheer number of largely Left-backed lawsuits facing Trump&rsquo;s <a href=\"https:\/\/www.federalregister.gov\/presidential-documents\/executive-orders\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"\">55 executive orders<\/a> to date, as there have been <a href=\"https:\/\/www.justsecurity.org\/107087\/tracker-litigation-legal-challenges-trump-administration\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"\">more than 50 lawsuits<\/a> challenging major administrative actions. On Monday alone, six <a href=\"https:\/\/amzn.to\/3YuVZYV\">federal judges issued rulings constraining<\/a> the administration&rsquo;s initiatives, including an order to unfreeze federal grant spending and halt personnel changes at the U.S. Agency for International Development. Since taking office, Trump has faced 15 emergency court orders slowing or pausing executive directives, according to a <em>Washington Examiner <\/em>analysis of lawsuits tracked by Just Security.<\/p>\n<p>One of the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/texas-supreme-court-rules-democrats-absent-from-state-capitol-can-be-arrested\/\" title=\"Texas ... Rules Democrats Absent From State Capitol Can Be Arrested\">temporary restraining orders<\/a> placed against Trump that has sparked a contentious uproar came from U.S. District Judge John McConnell, an Obama appointee who, on Jan. 31, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/justice\/3306097\/judge-halts-trump-federal-aid-freeze-at-request-of-22-states\/\">blocked<\/a> a spending freeze enacted through the Office of Management and Budget.<\/p>\n<p>On Monday, McConnell issued a follow-up order that the administration must restore previously frozen funds, prompting the Justice Department to file an emergency <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/justice\/3316055\/trump-appeals-judge-order-undo-federal-spending-freeze\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"\">appeal<\/a>, calling the ruling &ldquo;intolerable judicial overreach.&rdquo; However, the 1st U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals <a href=\"https:\/\/www.courtlistener.com\/docket\/69627708\/00108246952\/state-of-new-york-v-trump\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"\">rejected<\/a> the appeal Tuesday evening, stating confidence in the lower court&rsquo;s handling of the case. The appeals court allowed further filings by Feb. 13 but delivered a temporary setback to Trump, marking one of the first appeals court rejections of Trump&rsquo;s efforts to overturn a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/female-high-school-students-appeal-ruling-on-transgender-athletes\/\" title=\"Female High School Students Appeal Ruling on Transgender Athletes\">district court ruling<\/a> since taking office.<\/p>\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Conservative uproar over judicial interference<\/h2>\n<p>Trump and his allies have decried the wave of judicial intervention as a blatant attempt to sabotage his administration. Elon Musk called the rulings a &ldquo;judicial coup,&rdquo; while Vice President JD Vance <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/opinion\/columnists\/3315442\/constitutional-crisis-blame-democrats\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"\">argued<\/a> that &ldquo;judges aren&rsquo;t allowed to control the executive&rsquo;s legitimate power.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p>Conservative legal voices have raised concerns about the backgrounds of some judges issuing these rulings, particularly McConnell, who was a major Democratic donor before taking the bench. <\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\">\n<p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">If Dems were looking for a constitutional crisis, this might be it.<\/p>\n<p>Democrats let a donor buy a judgeship, and now that donor judge has positioned himself to stop the entire Trump agenda from his <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/schumer-says-biden-admin-must-restore-the-balance-to-the-bench-after-horrible-trump-judicial-appointments\/\" title=\"Schumer Says Biden Admin Must \u2018Restore The Balance To The Bench\u2019 After \u2018Horrible\u2019 Trump Judicial Appointments\">district court seat<\/a>. <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/g8tAI3k3ws\">https:\/\/t.co\/g8tAI3k3ws<\/a><\/p>\n<p>&mdash; Matt Whitlock (@mattdizwhitlock) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/mattdizwhitlock\/status\/1889318112899551513?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">February 11, 2025<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p> <script data-cfasync=\"false\" src=\"http:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/cdn-cgi\/scripts\/5c5dd728\/cloudflare-static\/email-decode.min.js\"><\/script><script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script>    <\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;Before he was put on the bench, this Judge McConnell gave $700,000 to Democrat campaigns and committees &mdash; including Sen. Whitehouse. Now he&rsquo;s positioned himself as the protector of <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/breaking-dem-controlled-house-approves-1-9-trillion-stimulus-biden-plans-to-sign-friday\/\" title=\"BREAKING: Dem-Controlled House Approves .9 Trillion Stimulus; Biden Plans To Sign Friday\">left-wing priorities<\/a> against Trump,&rdquo; Matt Whitlock, a former senior adviser to the National Republican Senatorial Committee, wrote in a post on X.<\/p>\n<p>Mike Davis, founder of the conservative Article III Project, framed the legal pushback as a constitutional crisis, <a href=\"https:\/\/x.com\/mrddmia\/status\/1889344326733332763\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"\">writing<\/a> on X, &ldquo;President Trump isn&rsquo;t stealing another branch&rsquo;s power. Activist judges are stealing his executive power. Over political differences. This is unacceptable. These activist judges are creating a constitutional crisis. The Supreme Court and Congress must rein in these activists.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Judge pares back DOGE Treasury ruling amid scrutiny<\/h2>\n<p>Another key legal battle is unfolding over the Department of Government Efficiency, the Trump administration&rsquo;s controversial initiative to streamline the federal workforce. U.S. District Judge Paul Engelmayer, an Obama appointee, initially ruled to block DOGE, led by Musk, from accessing Treasury Department payment systems, prompting alarm from the administration and MAGA allies.<\/p>\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"alignleft size-full is-resized\"><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">President Donald Trump listens as Elon Musk, with his son X &AElig; A-Xii, speaks in the Oval Office at the White House, Tuesday, Feb. 11, 2025, in Washington. (Photo\/Alex Brandon)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<p>Amid an uproar over perceived judicial overreach, a separate order by U.S. District Judge Jeannette Vargas <a href=\"https:\/\/www.courtlistener.com\/docket\/69623558\/state-of-new-york-v-donald-j-trump\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"\">clarified<\/a> Tuesday that the block does not extend to Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent or other Senate-confirmed officials. While <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/justice\/3315415\/trump-challenges-order-doge-treasury\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"\">Vargas<\/a> loosened some restrictions, she refused to dissolve them entirely, maintaining temporary limits on access by political appointees and DOGE personnel.<\/p>\n<p>The lawsuit, filed by Democrat-led states, argues that DOGE&rsquo;s oversight of federal payments poses risks to privacy and security. The Justice Department countered that courts have no precedent for barring the executive branch from overseeing its own financial operations, warning that the original ruling could have prevented even the treasury secretary from doing his job.<\/p>\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Legal experts: The system is functioning as designed<\/h2>\n<p>Despite the uproar, legal experts argue that these judicial blocks are part of the normal litigation process. Former federal prosecutor Neama Rahmani emphasized that temporary restraining orders do not necessarily signal permanent defeat for Trump&rsquo;s policies.<\/p>\n<p>Speaking to <em>LiveNOW<\/em> with Fox&rsquo;s Andrew Craft, Rahmani stated, &ldquo;A temporary restraining order doesn&rsquo;t necessarily mean that Trump and the government lose. It just maintains the status quo.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p>Still, Rahmani warned against rhetoric suggesting the administration could ignore judicial rulings, citing historical precedent. &ldquo;We haven&rsquo;t had an executive say they weren&rsquo;t going to follow a lawful court ruling, potentially since Nixon,&rdquo; he said. &ldquo;For legislators or members of the executive branch, whether Cabinet-level appointees, the vice president, or even the president, to say that they&rsquo;re not going to follow the law, that is potentially very dangerous.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">All roads lead toward the high court<\/h2>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">The Supreme Court, Friday, Jan. 10, 2025, in Washington. (AP Photo\/Jacquelyn Martin)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/washingtonexaminer.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><strong><\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n<p>As the legal battles intensify, it is increasingly likely that the Supreme Court will weigh in on several of Trump&rsquo;s key executive actions, including birthright citizenship, the restructuring of USAID, DOGE&rsquo;s authority over federal financial systems, and so much more.<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;Rest assured, these cases will work their way up to the Supreme Court, and there, the conservative majority will determine one way or another, whether this is lawful or not,&rdquo; Rahmani said.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p> <script>!function(){var g=window;g.googletag=g.googletag||{},g.googletag.cmd=g.googletag.cmd||[],g.googletag.cmd.push(function(){g.googletag.pubads().setTargeting(\"has-featured-video\",\"true\")})}();<\/script><script>var _bp=_bp||[];_bp.push({\"div\":\"Brid_1991292\",\"obj\":{\"id\":\"27789\",\"width\":\"1280\",\"height\":\"720\",\"stickyDirection\":\"below\",\"video\":\"1991292\"}});<\/script><script defer src=\"https:\/\/services.brid.tv\/player\/build\/brid.min.js\"><\/script><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<p><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Legal challenges to Trump&#8217;s orders are minor hurdles, not barriers<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2633,"featured_media":2401679,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mo_disable_npp":"","fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/AP25042764352001.webp","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[],"tags":[32208,32714,32603,3634,32076],"class_list":["post-2401678","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","tag-court-rulings","tag-legal-challenges","tag-political-news","tag-trump","tag-washington-examiner"],"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/AP25042764352001.webp","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2401678","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2633"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2401678"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2401678\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2401682,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2401678\/revisions\/2401682"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2401679"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2401678"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2401678"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2401678"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}