Over the past few weeks, the Supreme Court has made decisions that help Donald Trump’s administration strengthen executive power. In multiple key cases, six conservative justices have outvoted the three liberals, weakening courts’ ability to check the president. Many of these rulings came in one-page orders without full explanations, hiding how and why the court sided with the White House. When judges stack power on one side, our system of checks and balances breaks down and the rule of law erodes .
Education Department Ruling
On July 14, 2025, the Supreme Court cleared the way for President Trump to cut nearly half of the Education Department’s staff. A lower court judge had blocked Trump’s plan to fire about 1,400 workers and move functions like student loans and special education to other agencies. By lifting that block, the court let Trump reshape a cabinet agency without Congress’s approval. Critics warn that students with low incomes or special needs could lose vital support if these duties leave the department .
What about Missouri Schools?
This change affects about 892,246 public school students in Missouri (fall 2023) and could leave only about 880,200 by fall 2025. With fewer workers, the department will struggle to enforce civil-rights rules or run programs like Title I funding, special education, and student loan help. Families in both rural and city areas may lose key support, making schools less fair and hurting Missouri students now and in the years ahead
Blocking Nationwide Injunctions and Birthright Citizenship
On June 27, 2025, the Court used a 6–3 vote to limit judges’ power to block Trump’s policies nationwide. In the birthright citizenship case, it ruled that judges can only protect the people who sue, not everyone in the country. That halted lower court orders that had paused Trump’s executive order ending citizenship for babies born to non-citizen parents. The decision did not rule on the policy’s legality, only on who can block it, effectively letting Trump push forward until more courts weigh in .
Other Key Cases
This term, the Supreme Court also backed other Trump moves. It let his administration resume deporting migrants to third countries without a hearing on harm. It upheld a ban on transgender people serving in the military. It allowed the government to freeze or cut payments to groups that carry out federal work. In each case, conservatives used a fast-track “shadow docket” process, leaving people with fewer legal options and speeding up the president’s agenda .
Undermining Congressional Power
The Court has also let Trump bypass rules set by Congress for independent agencies. It allowed him to fire two Democratic labor board members and paused a judge’s order to reinstate three Consumer Product Safety Commission officials. These watchdog agencies were created by lawmakers to protect the public. By siding with the president, the Court weakens Congress’s power to set terms and duties of these officials, giving the White House more control over agencies meant to stand guard over our rights .
Why This Matters
These rulings reshape Washington’s balance of power. By lifting blocks and narrowing who can challenge policies, the Court hands more power to the president and sidelines Congress. This breaks the Constitution’s plan for three branches to share authority. Justice Sonia Sotomayor called the birthright decision a “travesty for the rule of law.” Legal experts warn that deciding by bare-majority orders without transparency erodes trust in all branches of government .
Public Support for Reform
Many Americans see the danger and want change. A recent Pew Research Center survey found 87% of adults favor term limits for members of Congress, and nearly 80% support age or term limits for Supreme Court justices. This broad agreement crosses party lines and shows voters know rules on service length help keep democracy healthy. Reforming term rules for judges and lawmakers is key to restoring balance and trust in government .
Conclusion and Possible Outcomes
If Supreme Court justices decide cases based on personal views instead of the Constitution, we risk:
Unchecked Power: The presidency could act without real limits.
Weakened Laws: Agencies and programs may be dismantled without Congress.
Loss of Trust: When courts side with power, people stop believing in justice.
Risk of Anarchy: With no faith in the system, some may break rules, leading to chaos.
Only 35% of Americans say they trust the judicial system, the lowest level ever recorded . To protect our republic, we must restore judges who follow the Constitution, not personal views. We need term limits for Supreme Court justices and all elected officials. This will help keep power balanced and ensure our courts serve the people — not one man’s power grab.
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Since January 2025, President Trump has used his power to weaken checks on himself, change rules to make voting harder, fill top jobs with loyal but unqualified allies, pressure the Justice Department, and attack the press—moves that cut education jobs, threaten fair elections, and let politics override honest law enforcement, all of which can hurt small towns and farm families in rural Missouri. (Full article about a 5 minute read)
Since January 2025, President Trump has taken actions that weaken our democratic system. This report explains what he has done and why it matters, especially for rural Missourians.
1. Taking More Control in Washington
– New Executive Orders: Trump signed many orders giving the White House more power over federal agencies. This means fewer checks by Congress or judges.
– “Unitary Executive” Idea: He believes the president should control all parts of the government. Most presidents do not go this far.
– Court Rulings: The Supreme Court allowed some of these orders, like cutting thousands of Education Department jobs (Reuters: https://www.reuters.com/legal/litigation/us-supreme-court-clears-way-trump-gut-education-department-2025-07-14/).
2. Changing Election Rules
– Birthright Citizenship: Trump tried an executive order to end automatic citizenship for babies born in the U.S. Courts stopped it.
– New Voter Restrictions: He signed an order requiring extra ID for voter registration and threatened to cut funding to states if they handle mail ballots too flexibly.
– Threats to Local Control: He talked about sending federal agents to run cities like New York or Washington, D.C.
3. Mixing Politics and Law Enforcement
– Justice Department Shake-Up: Many experienced lawyers quit because they felt pressured to defend policies that break the law (The Daily Beast: https://www.thedailybeast.com/exhausted-doj-team-defending-trump-in-court-hit-by-mass-exodus/).
– January 6 Pardons: Trump quickly pardoned about 1,500 people, many violent, involved in the Capitol attack.
– New FBI Leaders: He picked close allies for top jobs, replacing career agents who work independently.
4. Targeting Critics and the Media
– Limiting Press Access: Some reporters were blocked from White House briefings.
– Media Investigations: The Federal Communications Commission opened probes into outlets like NPR and PBS.
– Threats to Lawyers: The Justice Department warned law firms they could lose government work or security clearances if they sue the administration.
5. Who Is Helping?
Name
Role
Action
Pam Bondi
Attorney General
Disbanded FBI task forces
Kash Patel
FBI Director
Replaced independent agents
Dan Bongino
Deputy FBI Director
Appointed after pardons
Ed Martin
Acting U.S. Attorney (DC)
Pulled prosecutors from Jan. 6 cases
Brendan Carr
FCC Chair
Launched “news distortion” investigations
6. Why This Matters to Rural Missouri
– Local Schools: Cutting Education Department jobs can hurt programs that support rural schools.
– Voting Access: New ID rules and mail ballot threats can make it harder for farm families to vote.
Fair Treatment: When the DOJ changes leaders for politics, it can ignore crimes that affect rural communities, like drug trafficking or farm fraud.
7. Unqualified Cabinet Picks
Since January 2025, President Trump has filled key posts with former Fox News personalities who lacked the usual qualifications. For example, he tapped Pete Hegseth—a Fox & Friends host with no high-level military or Pentagon experience—as Secretary of Defense, even though Senator Thom Tillis warned he was “out of his depth” managing the Pentagon’s complex operations. Trump also chose Dan Bongino—a conservative podcaster and ex-Secret Service agent who’s never served in the FBI—as Deputy FBI Director, a role normally held by career agents. Reuters called the move “a slap in the face” to bureau professionals and noted Bongino’s lack of any FBI background. These picks show a preference for media loyalty over proven public-service expertise.
Conclusion
Trump’s actions since January 2025 show a clear pattern: he is using his power to weaken democratic safeguards. This slow shift toward more control at the top can become dangerous for everyday Americans, especially in rural areas that rely on fair rules and strong local voices.
References
US Supreme Court clears way for Trump to gut Education Department, Reuters, July 14, 2025: https://www.reuters.com/legal/litigation/us-supreme-court-clears-way-trump-gut-education-department-2025-07-14/
DOJ Lawyers Quit in Droves After Being Ordered to Defend Trump, The Daily Beast: https://www.thedailybeast.com/exhausted-doj-team-defending-trump-in-court-hit-by-mass-exodus/
What Is a Constitutional Crisis and Are We in One Under the Second Trump Administration?, Teen Vogue: https://www.teenvogue.com/story/what-is-a-constitutional-crisis-trump
Reuters, “Hegseth narrowly wins confirmation to become US defense secretary,” January 24, 2025: https://www.reuters.com/world/us/hegseth-narrowly-wins-confirmation-become-us-defense-secretary-2025-01-25/
Reuters, “‘Slap in the face:’ Bongino appointment sends shockwaves through FBI,” February 27, 2025: https://www.reuters.com/world/us/slap-face-bongino-appointment-sends-shockwaves-through-fbi-2025-02-27/
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