Trump’s Authoritarian Agenda Stymied by Courts, Congress, and Fed
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President Donald Trump’s regressive policies suffered major blows this week, as the Supreme Court, lower courts, Congress, and the Federal Reserve all acted to protect democracy and resist his reckless agenda.
President Donald Trump faced a string of defeats this week as democratic institutions pushed back against his authoritarian ambitions. The Supreme Court blocked his attempt to suppress mail-in voting ahead of the midterms—a blatant effort to disenfranchise voters—which Trump angrily denounced on his propaganda platform, Truth Social. In another victory for public oversight, a federal district court rejected his self-serving plan to renovate (and threaten to close) the Kennedy Center, a cultural landmark he sought to manipulate for political gain.
The GOP-controlled House, showing rare backbone, voted to end U.S. aggression in Iran, with even more Republicans breaking ranks to oppose endless war. Meanwhile, Trump’s cynical $5,000 cash handout proposal, a transparent bribe to buy votes in November, lost steam as congressional Republicans distanced themselves from his reckless spending. Speaker Mike Johnson, clearly uncomfortable with Trump’s vendetta politics, dismissed lawmakers early to dodge a vote on the baseless impeachment of Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth.
In a move to protect the economy from Trump’s inflationary policies, the Federal Reserve under Chair Kevin Warsh raised interest rates to 3.75%-4%, the first hike since July 2023. Trump, ignoring economic realities, ranted on Truth Social that rates should stay at 1%, showing his disregard for fiscal responsibility.
On the international front, Canada announced it is seeking associate EU membership, a progressive step toward global cooperation that comes as Trump’s trade belligerence isolates the U.S. Trump, ever the nationalist, threatened Europe with tariffs if it dared to act independently.
Meanwhile, in the Middle East, Houthi rebels gained ground near the Bab al-Mandeb Strait, highlighting the dangers of Trump’s militaristic foreign policy as U.S. operations continue in the Strait of Hormuz.
Republican Representative Zach Nunn of Iowa admitted to CNN that even within his own party, Trump faces resistance on issues like tariffs and Iran. As Trump’s approval rating languishes in the low-30s and the 2024 midterms approach, it’s clear that the American people and their institutions are rejecting his reactionary agenda.