With much of the country paying no attention, Donald Trump is inching closer to unleashing a massive constitutional crisis by refusing to comply with the orders of federal judges.
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Just a day after President Donald Trump, Vice President JD Vance, and their overlord Elon Musk had all grumbled about federal courts halting parts of their anti-government crusade, a judge in Rhode Island made it very clear on Monday that the administration is pushing the country toward a full-blown constitutional crisis.
In a terse order, US District Court Judge John McConnell directed the Trump administration to comply with his previous order to unfreeze federal grants or risk being held in criminal contempt.
In a power grab that began right after Trump took the oath of office, the White House has tried to wrest the power of the purse away from Congress (with Republican lawmakers generally standing by and applauding their constitutional emasculation).
However, it is up to the legislative branch to appropriate money and direct how it is to be spent, not an unelected oligarch like Musk or a wannabe dictator like Trump.
After Democratic attorneys general filed suit against one such action, specifically the freezing of federal grants, McConnell had ordered the Trump administration to reverse course because it was likely violating the Constitution.
However, according to the attorneys general, the White House has failed to fully comply with that order.
As we pointed out just yesterday, it would have devastating consequences if Trump decided to simply ignore the decisions of federal judges just because he disagrees with them.
In the case of this funding freeze, the damage would not be limited to the rule of law.
“The broad categorical and sweeping freeze of federal funds is, as the Court found, likely unconstitutional and has caused and continues to cause irreparable harm to a vast portion of this country,” McConnell wrote in his decision after pointing out that anybody disobeying a court’s order risks being held in criminal contempt.
As a result, he ruled that the administration must restore the frozen funds immediately, and that it has to take “every step necessary” to ensure that his previous temporary restraining order (TRO) is implemented.
McConnell specifically mentions funds appropriated in the Inflation Reduction Act and the Infrastructure Improvement and Jobs Act, as well as money earmarked for the National Institute for Health.
It is unlikely that most Americans are paying much attention to this issue.
They should.
Essentially, if he fails to comply with this order, Trump is destroying the system of checks and balances that has (largely) served the United States extremely well for nearly 250 years.
It is not up to a president to decide which court orders he wants to abide by. However, after less than a month in office, that is the direction in which Trump is moving.
The president and Musk appear to be so drunk on power that they view themselves as being above the law.
The coming days will determine if they are right.
