In the first months of his second term, President Trump has repeatedly acted outside the bounds of the US Constitution in his efforts to impose his political agenda on the nation and the world. Just a few examples:
· Under the Constitution, Congress has the “power of the purse”, and it creates and funds US Government agencies. U.S. Constitution, Article I, section 9, clause 7 The President’s duty is to faithfully execute the laws passed by Congress. US Constitution, Article 2, Section 3. President Trump has tried to defund and dismantle the Department of Education, USAID, and the Consumer Financial Protection Agency, all of which were established and funded by Congress, by his (Trump’s) Presidential decrees. The US Constitution authorizes the President to recommend such changes as he deems necessary and expedient to Congress, US Constitution, Article 2, Section 3; it does not authorize the President to enact them by presidential decrees.
· Under the Constitution, the government may not restrict freedom of speech, freedom of assembly or the rights to petition the government for redress of grievances, US Constitution, First Amendment. The government must afford due process of law before taking away your life, your liberties or your property, US Constitution, Fifth Amendment. The Trump Administration has been rounding up and deporting students and professors who have dissenting views from the Administration on the war in Gaza. https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025/mar/27/judge-explanation-tufts-student-rumeysa-ozturk-ice And they have been acting in defiance of court orders to the contrary.
· Under the Constitution, if you are born in the US, you are a US citizen; this is called “birthright citizenship”. United States Constitution, Amendment 14, Section 1. President Trump has issued a presidential decree purportedly repealing this provision of the Constitution. The process for changing the US Constitution is an amendment with the support of 2/3rd of each house of Congress and ratification by 3/4th of the states. US Constitution, Article V.
Needless to say, the Trump Administration has been losing many of these cases in the courts that have considered them. See cases discussed at https://www.scotusblog.com/2025/02/a-history-of-birthright-citizenship-at-the-supreme-court/ and https://www.justsecurity.org/107087/tracker-litigation-legal-challenges-trump-administration/
But it has embarked on a counter strategy of attacking the judges who in upholding the Constitution make adverse rulings to the Trump Administration’s actions, and it seeks to put out of business the lawyers and law firms who represent their clients in opposing the government’s actions. On the issue of judicial impeachments, see https://www.cbsnews.com/news/donald-trump-federal-judge-impeachment/. On the issue of putting law firms who have opposed Trump’s unlawful efforts out of business, see https://www.reuters.com/world/us/trump-signs-executive-order-against-law-firm-jenner-block-2025-03-25/
The Trump Administration fails to comply with those court orders it dislikes, then when facing contempt of court makes excuses like “they were already on an airplane and out of your jurisdiction” or “it’s a national security secret and I can’t tell you anything more”. See https://www.lawfaremedia.org/article/the-situation--how-to-get-away-with-violating-court-orders and https://www.nytimes.com/2025/03/24/us/politics/judge-ruling-trump-deportations-alien-enemies-act.html
The American Bar Association has condemned the Trump Administration actions attacking the lawyers, their law firms and the judges with whom they disagree about fundamental constitutional rights. https://www.abajournal.com/news/article/aba-and-more-than-50-bar-associations-condemn-government-actions-that-seek-to-twist-the-scales-of-justice#google_vignette Chief Justice John Roberts has likewise condemned the Trump Administration’s calls to impeach federal judges with whose rulings they disagree, pointing out the proper avenue is to file an appeal. https://www.courthousenews.com/chief-justice-roberts-rebukes-trumps-call-to-oust-judge-who-blocked-deportations/ In his annual end-of-year report, Roberts “outlined four areas of concern: violence, intimidation, disinformation and threats to defy court judgments.” All of which we are now experiencing in spades.
But really, the problems we face are far far worse than this. The President has decided to bring the entire awesome weight of the federal government to bear against those lawyers and law firms who have opposed and/or represent clients who oppose him. https://www.whitehouse.gov/presidential-actions/2025/03/addressing-risks-from-jenner-block/ Many law firms are silent and adopting the defensive ostrich posture in the face of these blatantly unconstitutional attacks on their fellow lawyers. https://www.yahoo.com/news/law-firms-scared-speak-amid-090052457.html?guccounter=1&guce_referrer=aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuZ29vZ2xlLmNvbS8&guce_referrer_sig=AQAAAIPero3d2aTfUpeRa5Jwscj1ALyviRutUBYVl3YZzAWEFWoVmiTlnaLN9jlKSPZTlkO9BdYmGsszg0TzBN1Ugl_cuh5wsEiz1qbtotpWXpwgQxNq7-GFMWoqk_qcyDP2If8C9A4hslmefISGwH8cxIY-Axfkh2WktFHgVZ6NLc4_ Other firms are seeking to capitalize on their fellow lawyers’ predicament by poaching their lawyers and their clients. https://ballsandstrikes.org/legal-culture/biglaw-is-always-a-business-first/
We all need to validate and support those lawyers, law firms and legal organizations who are under attack and yet are willing to stand up and speak out during these times of extraordinary peril for the US Constitution and American democracy.