US President Donald Trump is ramping up criticism against the courts, echoing a growing trend among populists worldwide. Despite no concrete moves to remove judges or blatantly ignore rulings, his supporters are increasingly using inflammatory rhetoric and actions aimed at undermining judicial independence.
Experts warn that this trend poses significant threats to democracy, particularly in the US. The administration has so far followed regular legal procedures when appealing decisions it disagrees with, but Trump’s attacks on the judiciary have taken a more aggressive tone.
Populist leaders like Mexico’s Andrés Manuel López Obrador and Hungary’s Viktor Orbán have successfully implemented similar tactics, which critics say are authoritarian and undermine democratic institutions. The US has long promoted judicial independence as a cornerstone of democracy, but recent developments suggest that this value may be eroding.
“This is an authoritarian instinct,” said Steven Levitsky, Harvard political scientist. “You cannot have a democracy where the elected government can do whatever it wants.”
With two-thirds majority needed to impeach and remove judges from office, it’s highly unlikely that Trump’s administration will achieve such a supermajority in the Senate. Nevertheless, the president’s exasperation with lower courts ruling against him has raised concerns about the rule of law.
In recent months, the judiciary has issued several orders blocking Trump initiatives, including on birthright citizenship and federal aid to organizations. While some presidents have historically clashed with the courts, this level of hostility is unprecedented.
“This anti-judicial rhetoric has not been at this level in decades,” said Anne Marie Slaughter, former State Department official. “The US has long advocated for judicial independence as a foundation of democracy, but we’re now losing our reputation as a beacon of democratic values.”
As the debate around judicial independence intensifies, many experts worry about the consequences for American democracy. The erosion of trust in institutions and the decline of democratic norms pose significant challenges to the country’s future.
US presidents have often found themselves at odds with the courts, but this is not just about personal disagreements – it’s about the fundamental values that underpin democracy. As Steven Levitsky noted, “You cannot have a democracy where the elected government can do whatever it wants.” The US must find a way to balance presidential power with judicial independence if it hopes to preserve its democratic institutions and uphold the rule of law.
Source: https://apnews.com/article/trump-courts-judges-rule-of-law-85058a5ffcef105d4ea2ce0ef078f084