On 4 March Donald Trump delivered a 100-minute speech to Congress, the longest presidential address in US history. After speaking he walked the line of Supreme Court justices and vigorously shook Chief Justice John Roberts's hand, then tapped Roberts's arm and said "Won't forget." Observers linked the gratitude to prior Roberts rulings that benefited Trump, including ballot-access decisions after 6 January and rulings on presidential immunity. In recent weeks the six conservative justices, three appointed by Trump, have issued a string of decisions favoring the president, granting emergency relief and effectively advancing his administration's agenda.
Having finished speaking, in time-honored fashion, he walked down the line of supreme court justices, gladhanding each in turn before coming to a stop before the chief justice, John Roberts. Thank you again, thank you again, Trump said, taking Roberts's hand into both his own and shaking it vigorously. Then, as he began to step away, the president tapped Roberts on the arm in a gesture of buddy-buddy intimacy, and said: Won't forget.
In the past 10 weeks America has witnessed an extraordinary outpouring of decisions from its highest court that should make Trump very happy indeed. The six rightwing justices who control the court three of them given their lifetime seats by Trump himself have effectively greenlighted the president's explosive and law-busting agenda. The supermajority has granted Trump 18 straight victories in the administration's requests for emergency relief.
Collection
[
|
...
]