By the way, did anyone know this is buried inside the 1000+ page Trump bill?
A provision that would block federal judges from enforcing rulings against Trump's illegal executive actions.
The sneak attack on the judiciary hidden in Trump's so-called "One Beautiful Bill Act" bars federal judges in most cases from holding officials in contempt if they refuse to comply with a court order.3
Contempt citations can result in financial penalties or even jail time for those violating the court order. They are one of the most important tools that federal judges have to enforce their rulings.
If this authority is taken away, Trump will be unleashed to do his worst with no fear of federal judges holding him or his minions accountable.
And it was snuck in so quietly that even some Republicans who voted for the bill are admitting they didn't know it was there.4
This new attack comes on the heels of House Republicans passing the "No Rogue Rulings Act," which would go even further by stripping federal district judges from issuing nationwide injunctions against Trump's illegal actions in the first place.5
It's all part of Trump's sweeping authoritarian power grab, and Republicans will not stop until there is nothing left to stand in his way.
Footnotes:
Sources:
1. Campaign Legal Center, "These Hidden Provisions in the Budget Bill Undermine Our Democracy," May 22, 2025.
2. The New York Times, "Tracking the Lawsuits Against Trump's Agenda," updated June 3, 2025.
3. Reuters, "Trump's sweeping tax-cut bill includes provision to weaken court powers," May 30, 2025.
4. MSNBC, "Republican admits he voted for the GOP megabill, though key elements were 'unknown' to him," May 28, 2025.
5. NBC News, "House votes to rein in federal judges amid Trump's attacks on the courts," April 9, 2025.
