Federal courts have blocked multiple actions by the Trump administration on constitutional and legal grounds, including orders altering federal funding rules and attempting to alter longstanding structural principles.
The following actions have been widely challenged in lawsuits and, in several instances, explicitly ruled unconstitutional or illegal by federal judges:
- Executive Order on Birthright Citizenship: Trump issued a directive attempting to end birthright citizenship for children of non-citizens, contradicting the 14th Amendment. Federal judges blocked the policy, ruling it a likely unconstitutional violation of the Constitution.
- Cancellation of Humanities Grants: The administration, largely through the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), canceled over \(\$100\) million in funding to scholars and research organizations. A federal judge permanently barred this, ruling the terminations unconstitutional and noting DOGE lacked the authority to end congressionally mandated funding.
- Executive Order on Elections: Trump signed an executive order purporting to exert federal control over election administration and attempting to impose strict citizenship verification for voter registration. Multiple federal courts enjoined key provisions, finding the orders attempted to bypass Congress and unlawfully disenfranchise voters.
- Passport Gender Marker Policy: The administration's directive mandating that passports strictly reflect assigned sex at birth was blocked by a federal judge, who ruled the enforcement illegal. The resulting legal challenge reached the U.S. Supreme Court on an emergency appeal.
- DOGE Actions at Independent Agencies: Executive actions attempting to strip the independence of agencies like the Federal Election Commission (FEC) have faced legal challenges from the Democratic National Committee, which argues the move unlawfully extends presidential control into areas preserved for Congress
