Trump escalates legal clash over deportations

It’s Wednesday. I’m taking an informal poll. Who do you think will win the men’s and/or women’s March Madness tournaments this year? Let me know! If you want some help, here are several ESPN analysts’ guesses.

In today's issue:

Trump doubles down in judge clash
Where a potential Russia-Ukraine ceasefire stands
There will be an interest rate announcement this afternoon
"Happy Gilmore 2" is premiering in July

Two branches are fighting, and the other is nervously watching:

President Trump has been publicly clashing with the federal judiciary over rulings he does not agree with. So much so that Supreme Court Chief Justice John Roberts stepped in Tuesday to reprimand the president.

How we got here: The Trump administration sent planes of Venezuelan immigrants to El Salvador over the weekend, and Judge James Boasberg ordered the flights to be halted. Trump ignored the order — arguing the judge didn’t have jurisdiction — accused the judge of being a “troublemaker” and called for him to be impeached. Roberts then entered the chat, issuing a rare statement where he scolded Trump, saying impeachment is “not an appropriate response” to disagreeing with a ruling.

Did Trump back off?: Lol, nope. The president doubled down this morning, slinging attacks at Boasberg. “If a President doesn’t have the right to throw murderers, and other criminals, out of our Country because a Radical Left Lunatic Judge wants to assume the role of President, then our Country is in very big trouble, and destined to fail!” Trump posted on Truth Social.

How’s the legislative branch feeling about all of this?: 😅 The Hill’s Alexander Bolton reports that Republican lawmakers are nervously watching and unsure how to react. On one hand, going against Trump could put them in his direct line of fire and possibly the target of a well-funded primary challenge to oust them in 2026. But privately, they’re worried that Trump’s attempt to expand the executive branch is nearing a “constitutional crisis” and “could reverberate far into the future.”

Read Bolton’s reporting: ‘GOP lawmakers conflicted over Trump’s clash with judiciary’

Plus, read the newest edition of The Gavel newsletter: ‘Trump revisits playbook for taking down the judiciary’

➤ SOME NOTABLE REACTIONS:

Fox News host Greg Gutfeld, a vocal Trump supporter, slammed Chief Justice John Roberts during a segment on “The Five,” telling him to “shut the F up.”

In Gutfeld’s words: “When there are rapists and murderers invading our country, maybe a guy in a robe in D.C. can follow all the protocols, but Trump is the effing president of the United States who protects 300 million-plus people.” 📹 Watch the clip

And from former Trump White House attorney Ty Cobb: Cobb dismissed Trump’s recent assertation that he would comply with court orders he doesn’t agree with.

In Cobb’s words: “Oh no, they’ve made it plain. [Border czar] Tom Homan said, ‘We don’t care what the judge has said.’ [Attorney General] Pam Bondi made it plain when she introduced Trump last Friday at the Justice Department that she and her people were there to serve him,” Cobb told CNN’s Erin Burnett.

So, are we any closer to a Russia-Ukraine ceasefire?:

No, but also maybe. President Trump just spoke with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky to broker a ceasefire deal after his Tuesday call with Russian President Vladimir Putin

Brief backstory: The U.S. proposed a 30-day ceasefire in the war between the two countries. Ukraine agreed to it last week, but Russia hadn’t. That’s what made yesterday’s call with Putin so highly anticipated.

How did Trump’s Putin call go?: Putin rejected the proposed ceasefire but agreed to a more limited plan. Think: Attacking energy infrastructure would be off limits for 30 days. This would be mutually beneficial for both sides, as The New York Times explains — Ukraine has been damaged by the attacks on its power grid and Russia’s oil and gas facilities are key for their revenue.

Now, what?: It’s still unclear whether Zelensky is on board with this new plan. Trump and Zelensky just spoke for roughly an hour, and Trump said the conversation was “very good.” Trump said the ceasefire talks are “on track.” 🔎 Read Trump’s description of the call

^ Keep in mind: CNN notes this was their first known conversation since their public spat in the Oval Office a few weeks ago.

Before you take Putin at his word: The Times noted that “privately, some administration officials acknowledged that Mr. Putin appeared to be stalling, agreeing to just enough to appear to be engaged in peace talks, while pressing his advantage on the battlefield.”

What else we know about the Trump-Putin phone call: Putin had some steep demands for halting the war with Ukraine. For example, he wants the U.S. and Europe to stop supporting Ukraine. And as far as U.S.-Russia relations, both Trump and Putin seemed optimistic about potential economic cooperation in the future.

🚀️ TALK OF THE MORNING

Them after 9 months: ‘What’d we miss?’
Us: nervously chuckles:

Keegan Barber/NASA via AP

NASA astronauts Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams have safely returned to Earth after technical issues turned their one-week mission into a nine-month stay in space.

📹 Here’s the footage of the capsule landing off the coast of Florida

This is magical: A pod of dolphins greeted the astronauts when they landed in the water. 📹 Watch

^ Lol, CNN’s Jake Tapper agrees. He joked that if we saw this in a movie, we’d all “think it was a bit much.”

📹 Watch the moment the astronauts exited the capsule

I cannot stop thinking about this interview: Tom Marshburn, a physician and former NASA astronaut, describes in a CBS News interview what it feels like to experience gravity after being in space. “It feels like just this huge, magnetic, strange force that’s welding you into your seat.” He described dropping a small water bottle because of the weight. 📹 Watch his interview — it’s fascinating.

➤ TIDBIT — A NEBRASKA REPUBLICAN WAS REPEATEDLY BOOED:

Rep. Mike Flood (R-Neb.) held a town hall Tuesday night that turned rather raucous. He was booed throughout the event over mentions of Trump ally Elon Musk, tariffs and the White House’s posture toward Ukraine, reports The Hill’s Mychael Schnell.

PBS News’s Lisa Desjardins was there: “I just asked 100+ ppl in line (I have names!) and everyone is from Nebraska. All but two vote in the district,” she posted.

Reminder: House Republican leaders advised their members to avoid in-person town halls for just this reason.

COMING UP

The House and Senate are out. President Trump is in Washington. (All times EST)

1 p.m. White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt briefs reporters. 💻 Livestream

2 p.m. A State Department press briefing. 💻 Livestream

2:30 p.m. Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell holds a news conference. 💻 Livestream

8 a.m. Friday — 8 a.m. Saturday C-SPAN interviews the new members of Congress. All 62 interviews will air on C-SPAN2 and online.

🐝 INTERNET BUZZ

🍫 A reason to celebrate: Today is National Chocolate Caramel Day.

⛳ Go home, ball. Why don’t you just go home?: A “Happy Gilmore” sequel is coming out this summer. Adam Sandler, Ben Stiller, Julie Bowen and Christopher McDonald are returning. It will premiere July 25 on Netflix. 📹 Watch the new trailer

🥩 I’m inviting myself, Scottie: Golfer Scottie Scheffler chose the menu for his Champions Dinner at the 2025 Masters. 📖 See what he’s serving, per PGA Tour

🌸 The best sign of spring in D.C.: The cherry blossoms at the Tidal Basin have little pink buds. 📸 Photo

👋 AND FINALLY…

And even though I will not be able to top that video of dolphins greeting the NASA astronauts, I still want to leave you on a happy note. Watch this penguin catch a ride to the iceberg.

Stay Engaged

📺 Miss yesterday's newsletter? Catch up with a 1-minute video recap. Send tips & feedback to cmartel@thehill.com. And view more newsletters here. See you next time!

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