Activist Judges Overstep Authority To Intensify Attacks On Trump Administration Policies
The pattern of judicial interference in President Donald Trump’s administration has only grown stronger since his return to the White House. In the past two months, activist judges have repeatedly overstepped their authority, blocking Trump’s attempts to cut government waste, secure the border and restore military standards.
One of the latest rulings came from U.S. District Judge Theodore Chuang, an Obama appointee, who issued an injunction halting the administration’s plan to dismantle the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID). The Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), overseen by Elon Musk, had already taken steps to shut down the agency, eliminating 92% of its grants and closing its headquarters. Chuang’s ruling forces the administration to reverse course, restoring employee access and pausing further reductions.
Chuang’s decision is part of a broader effort by the judiciary to protect entrenched bureaucratic power. Trump has long criticized USAID as a source of wasteful foreign aid spending, directing billions overseas with little oversight. Despite the administration’s clear mandate to cut such programs, the courts have once again stepped in to shield them from accountability.
Meanwhile, judicial overreach has extended to military policy. U.S. District Judge Ana Reyes, a Biden appointee, blocked Trump’s order banning transgender individuals from serving in the military. Reyes argued that the policy was discriminatory, ignoring the administration’s justification that military service should be based on readiness and effectiveness rather than social ideology.
Border security is another area where activist judges have attempted to block Trump’s authority. U.S. District Judge James Boasberg intervened to stop the deportation of Venezuelan gang members under the Alien Enemies Act. The administration had already removed over 200 members of the Tren de Aragua gang when Boasberg issued his ruling, attempting to halt further deportations.
The courts have also moved to protect Biden-era financial handouts. Judge Tanya Chutkan temporarily blocked Trump’s effort to reclaim $20 billion from the Environmental Protection Agency’s Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund. The money had been allocated to left-wing nonprofits before Trump took office, and the administration had been working to recover it before the courts stalled the process.
Attorney General Pam Bondi has vowed to challenge these rulings, calling them unconstitutional overreach. Trump has also made it clear that he will fight back, warning that unelected judges should not have the power to override the policies that the American people voted for.
