The American Judiciary Versus The Trump Administration

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4.4 • 4.3K Ratings

🗓️ 11 February 2025

⏱️ 37 minutes

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Summary

It's been three crazy weeks. It can be hard to keep up with the new commander-in-chief.

There are at least 45 challenges in the courts against the Trump administration. These complaints are broad in scope, dealing with the role of Elon Musk's new Department of Government Efficiency to the gutting of The United States Agency for International Development.

Judges are beginning to step in and put a damper on Trump's plans. But will the judicial branch keep the executive branch in check? We answer the question on a lot of people's minds these days: Can he do that?

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Transcript

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0:23.7	Hey, it's Jen. Just a quick heads up before we start the show. The news is rapidly developing and things may have changed by the time you hear this episode.
0:33.6	For the very latest news, tune in to your public radio station and follow updates at npr.org.
0:47.6	It's been three weeks, but it can be hard to keep up with the number of actions the new commander-in-chief has enacted.
0:53.8	However, at the time of this show, there are at least 50 legal challenges against the Trump
0:58.9	administration's actions.
1:00.7	These lawsuits challenge a range of issues from the role of Doge, that's the entity led by
1:05.5	Elon Musk, to gutting USAID, the United States Agency for International Development, to ending DEI programs, and upending transgender rights.
1:14.9	Responding to lawsuits, judges are beginning to step in and put a damper on Trump's plans.
1:19.8	By Saturday, at least eight judges put pauses on some of these initiatives.
1:23.9	On Thursday, a federal judge paused Trump's federal worker deferred resignation program.
1:28.9	Three judges have blocked an executive order ending birthright citizenship, and the American Bar Association has come out to say the administration has made, quote, wide scale affronts to the rule of law itself, end quote.
1:40.7	But will the judicial branch keep the executive branch in check? If not, will the presidency
1:45.6	change forever? Today, we'll answer the question on a lot of people's minds these days. Can he do that?
1:52.1	I'm Jen White. You're listening to the WhatA podcast where we get to the heart of the story. We'll be back
1:57.0	with more in just a moment.
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