Alarm as Republicans in Congress back Trump and Musk's attacks on US judges

Source: The Guardian

Alarm as Republicans in Congress back Trump and Musk’s attacks on US judges

Mike Johnson and Jim Jordan echo president and key ally as experts express fears for ‘bedrock constitutional principles’

Peter Stone in Washington
Mon 7 Apr 2025 11.00 BST
Last modified on Mon 7 Apr 2025 13.47 BST

As Donald Trump and Elon Musk widen their radical attacks on US judges who have stalled some of Trump’s executive orders and Musk’s slashing of federal agencies, they’re gaining backing from top House Republicans and other politicians, including some to whom the tech billionaire made big campaign donations.

The House speaker, Mike Johnson, and judiciary panel chairman Jim Jordan have echoed some of Trump’s attacks on judges, and a judiciary subcommittee hearing on 1 April explored “judicial overreach” and ways to curb judges who have stymied some Trump orders or Musk’s “department of government efficiency” (Doge) and its draconian cuts to the federal government.

Veteran Republican consultants say the hefty campaign-spending muscle of Musk, the world’s richest person, who spent about $300m helping Trump win last year, is likely to boost many Republican candidates in 2026 races, increasing pressures on members from Trump and Musk to accelerate efforts to rein in dissident judges.

“Republicans on Capitol Hill expect Musk to make a lot of donations to them in 2026,” said longtime Republican consultant Charlie Black. “But it’s likely that such donations will be coordinated with the president’s preferences.”

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Read more: https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025/apr/07/republicans-trump-musk-attacks-us-judges

Alternate link: https://news.yahoo.com/news/alarm-republicans-congress-back-trump-100016465.html