Barabak: The 'greatest threat' to rule of law in decades. That's how lawyers, judges see Trump
Key takeaways
- Sometimes it seems as though the only thing that stands between a functioning democracy and a full-on Trump autocracy is a thin, black-robed line.
- (The way invertebrate congressional Republicans have.)
- At the lower-court level, judges have repeatedly ruled in ways intended to check Trump, most notably when it comes to violating civil and constitutional rights in pursuit of his indiscriminate immigration dragnet.
President Trump, arriving for his State of the Union address as Supreme Court justices look on, has strained the legal system to something approaching a breaking point. (Win Mc Namee / Getty Images) By Mark Z. Barabak Columnist Follow May 24, 2026 3 AM PT 6 min Click here to listen to this article Share via Close extra sharing options Email Facebook X Linked In Threads Reddit Whats App Copy Link URL Copied! Print 0:00 0:00 1x This is read by an automated voice. Please report any issues or inconsistencies here.
Sometimes it seems as though the only thing that stands between a functioning democracy and a full-on Trump autocracy is a thin, black-robed line.
Although the Supreme Court, in general, and conservative appellate courts, in particular, have bowed and granted President Trump permission to do pretty much anything he wants, they haven’t thoroughly capitulated to his endless grasping for ever more power. (The way invertebrate congressional Republicans have.)