Donald Trump suffered a rapid-fire series of legal defeats on Wednesday as federal courts blocked key pillars of his second-term agenda, from immigration crackdowns to economic nationalism.
At a Glance
- A federal appeals court upheld an injunction against Trump’s executive order restricting birthright citizenship.
- The U.S. Court of International Trade ruled Trump’s “Liberation Day” tariffs unconstitutional, citing executive overreach.
- A federal judge struck down Trump’s executive order banning most foreign students from attending Harvard University.
- Another court blocked Trump’s attempt to penalize law firms representing clients opposing his administration.
Judicial Pushback Intensifies
In a landmark decision, the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals upheld an injunction against Trump’s 2025 executive order seeking to deny U.S. citizenship to children born to undocumented immigrants. Judges affirmed that the order likely violates the 14th Amendment’s citizenship clause, reinforcing earlier district court rulings.
Meanwhile, the U.S. Court of International Trade struck down Trump’s “Liberation Day” tariffs, ruling that the president overstepped his authority under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act. Although an appellate court later granted a temporary stay, legal experts say the decision casts serious doubt on the future of Trump’s nationalist trade policies.
Watch a report: Trump’s Tariffs, Immigration Orders Face Judicial Setbacks
Immigration and Legal Community Targeted
Trump also suffered a legal defeat in Boston, where a federal judge ruled that his executive order blocking foreign students from enrolling at Harvard University lacked sufficient justification and amounted to unlawful discrimination. The policy, one of the administration’s most controversial postures on education and immigration, was quickly challenged in court and now stands nullified.
Separately, another federal court blocked an order targeting law firms representing plaintiffs in litigation against the administration. The court found that Trump’s move to sanction legal teams was a violation of First Amendment protections, ruling that the executive branch cannot penalize attorneys for taking on disfavored clients.
Broader Implications
Together, the rulings highlight the judiciary’s growing resistance to executive overreach. Trump’s strategy of using unilateral executive orders to bypass Congress is under increasing legal strain, with multiple federal courts asserting boundaries on presidential power.
With four high-profile legal defeats in a single day, the administration now faces pressure to reevaluate its governance strategy. These setbacks may force Trump to seek legislative routes for policy implementation—or risk seeing more of his agenda unraveled in court.
