Dem
47
GOP
53
One of the nicest things about being president is you get to appoint judges who will then rule for you when you are sued. Or, at least, that is what Donald Trump thinks. When that doesn't work as expected, he is miffed. Well, it hasn't happened and he is miffed.
At the district court level, Trump has had numerous setbacks from HIS judges. How dare they! Ingrates. When he tried to use the National Guard in Oregon, HIS judge, Karin Immergut, wrote: "This is a nation of Constitutional law, not martial law." Law 1, Trump 0.
She is not the only one. When Trump tried to use the Alien Enemies Act to deport Venezuelan nationals, Trump-appointed U.S. District Judge Fernando Rodriguez Jr. ruled that "unlawful." Another Trump appointee, John Holcomb, ruled that even deportees are entitled to due process and a hearing. Trump also wanted to deport Daniel Lozano Camargo despite his being protected by a settlement agreement. Trump-appointed Judge Stephanie Gallagher said: Nope. That's Law 4, Trump 0.
Trump has also expanded detention for immigrants facing deportation, even if they have been in the U.S. for years. Trump-appointed judges Dominic Lanza (Arizona), Rebecca Jennings (Kentucky), and Kyle Dudek (Florida) have all ruled that he can't just lock up people without a hearing before a judge. Law 7, Trump 0.
Trump's first reaction is to blame HIS judges. Some of them are pushing back. U.S. District Judge Thomas Cullen of Maryland said: "This concerted effort by the Executive to smear and impugn individual judges who rule against it is both unprecedented and unfortunate." Then he rejected Trump's administrative lawsuit as defective. Law 8, Trump 0.
District Judge Dabney Friedrich, another Trump appointee, has shot Trump down multiple times, including on (1) how Trump has used the Jan. 6 pardons to cover unrelated crimes and (2) impounding funds. A Rhode Island District Judge, Mary McElroy, also appointed by Trump, blocked Trump from taking $233 million in FEMA grants from blue states, saying this was just punishment for their not doing his bidding and there is no legal basis for canceling the grants. Law 11, Trump 0.
So how is Trump taking all this? Badly. Although during his campaigns he said he would hire only the best people, now he has changed his tune. Guess he isn't a very good judge of character, especially when it comes to judging judges' character. No, wait! He thought of some other way to deflect the blame. It is the fault of the Heritage Foundation for giving him bad advice. That's it, all these horrible decisions are the fault of the Heritage Foundation. Case closed. (V)