Trump says he'll abide by court orders that block parts of his agenda

President Trump said Tuesday he would abide by court rulings if they blocked parts of his agenda amid uproar over comments from some allies about defying the legal system.

“I always abide by the courts and then I’ll have to appeal it,” Trump said when asked if he would comply with court orders if they blocked his agenda. “But then what he’s done is he’s slowed down momentum. And it gives crooked people more time to cover up the books.”

“The answer is I always abide by the courts, always abide by them. And we’ll appeal,” Trump added. “But appeals take a long time.”

Trump did scoff at the idea that a court could prevent federal agency leaders from going over their books to find potential fraud or discrepancies.

“I can’t imagine that could be held up by the court,” he said. “Any court that would say that the president or his representatives — like secretary of the Treasury, secretary of State, whatever — doesn’t have the right to go over their books and make sure everything’s honest, I mean how can you have a country?”

Trump’s comments come as Democrats and some legal experts have sounded the alarm after Vice President Vance and top Trump adviser Elon Musk in recent days suggested judges don’t have jurisdiction to stop the president from exercising his authority.

"If a judge tried to tell a general how to conduct a military operation, that would be illegal. If a judge tried to command the attorney general in how to use her discretion as a prosecutor, that’s also illegal," Vance wrote on X, which Musk owns. "Judges aren’t allowed to control the executive’s legitimate power."

Musk in recent days called for a federal judge to be impeached after they issued a ruling that temporarily halted the Department of Government Efficiency’s access to Treasury Department data.

Several of Trump’s early moves have faced legal challenges, with judges at least temporarily halting the president’s actions.

Trump’s attempt to do away with birthright citizenship, his administration’s proposed buyout of federal workers and his attempted federal funding freezes have all been paused by court rulings.

Topics

New York doctor says he'll continue providing transition care despite Trump executive order

As legal battles are fought over an executive order restricting transgender care for patients younger than 19, some clinics are continuing to provide the care while others are backing off.
NBC News - 2h
Appeals court denies Trump's request to lift order blocking funding freeze

The Trump administration is reigniting a legal fight over whether it can unilaterally freeze billions of dollars in funding in loans, grants and financial assistance.
ABC News - 3h
As Trump pushes whirlwind agenda, DOJ is challenged to defend his orders in court

As Donald Trump presses his breakneck effort to remake the government, the flurry of lawsuits pushing back have seemingly overwhelming the lawyers defending his orders.
ABC News - 4h
What happens if the Trump administration ignores court orders?

NBC’s Laura Jarrett joins TODAY to weigh in on legal hurdles faced by the Trump administration and what happens if they attempt to ignore orders from judges.
NBC News - 14h
New York doctor says he'll continue providing transition care despite Trump executive order

As legal battles are fought over an executive order restricting transgender care for patients younger than 19, some clinics are continuing to provide the care while others are backing off.
NBC News - 2h
Appeals court denies Trump admin request to block judge's order to lift spending freeze

A federal appeals court on Tuesday declined to temporarily block a lower court's orders directing the Trump administration to unfreeze federal grants. The U.S. Court of Appeals for the 1st Circuit ...
The Hill - 3h
White House officials bristle as the courts throttle parts of Trump's agenda

The nation may be edging closer to a constitutional crisis as senior White House officials bristle over a string of court orders stymieing Trump’s agenda.
NBC News - 23h
Court blocks Trump administration from sending three migrants to Guantánamo

A federal court on Sunday blocked the Trump administration from sending three migrants to the detention center at Guantánamo Bay, Cuba. U.S. District Judge Kenneth J. Gonzales temporarily halted ...
The Hill - 1d
President Trump says he'll impose tariffs on aluminum and steel

President Trump said he's going to impose 25% tariffs on all foreign steel and aluminum imports starting Monday. It will have the biggest impact on allies like Canada and Mexico. CBS News' Nancy ...
CBS News - 1d