One big win and three defeats for Trump in dramatic day at Supreme Court
One big win and three defeats for Trump in dramatic day at Supreme Court
Presidential Power Expanded
One big win and three defeats - On the penultimate day of this term’s Supreme Court decisions, a pivotal ruling expanded presidential authority, marking a significant victory for Donald Trump. However, the decision also revealed potential challenges for the president, as three liberal justices appeared to align with some of the six conservative appointees in key areas.
“Ninety years of precedent has been completely and unequivocally overruled,” Trump exclaimed in a Truth Social post after the decision, “greatly increasing presidential power at a time when it is most needed!”
Federal Reserve Blocked
In a notable split, the court rejected Trump’s push to remove Lisa Cook, a Federal Reserve governor, from her post. This five-to-four decision saw Chief Justice John Roberts and Justice Brett Kavanaugh, both Trump appointees, siding with the three liberal justices to prevent the president’s removal of Cook.
“Then, and only then, can they remain accountable to the president, and the president to the people,” Chief Justice John Roberts wrote in the majority opinion.
Trump had accused Cook of mortgage fraud, but the ruling highlighted broader tensions over the Fed’s recent decisions, including its refusal to cut interest rates. Roberts emphasized that Cook should have the opportunity to contest her removal, warning of the “calamities that could arise” if presidents could unilaterally impose their will on the central bank.
Mail-in Ballots Allowed
Another Monday decision dealt a blow to Trump’s agenda, as the court allowed mail-in ballots received after election day but postmarked by it. This ruling, which supported states’ authority to set voting rules, contradicted Trump’s claims that such ballots threatened election integrity.
“States have broad powers to set the ‘time, place and manner’ of holding congressional elections,” Justice Amy Coney Barrett wrote, quoting the US Constitution. She dismissed Trump’s allegations that mail-in balloting is prone to fraud, arguing it was an issue best resolved through the “democratic process.”
While the court’s decision on mail-in ballots was a setback for Trump, it underscored the ongoing debate over electoral procedures. The ruling, combined with the other decisions, demonstrated how the Supreme Court’s actions can influence policy shifts between administrations, a pattern seen in transitions from Obama to Biden and back to Trump.