Michael Gregory: Like many populist leaders, Trump accuses judges of being illegitimate obstacles to safety and democracy

Michael Gregory: Like many populist leaders, Trump accuses judges of being illegitimate obstacles to safety and democracy

By Michael Gregory Federal judges and at times Supreme Court justices have repeatedly challenged — and blocked — President Donald Trump’s attempts to reshape fundamental aspects of American government. Many of Trump’s more than 150 executive orders, including one aimed at eliminating the Department of Education, have been blocked by injunctions and lawsuits. When a majority of Supreme Court justices ruled on May 16, 2025, that the Trump adminis…