| WASHINGTON — Today, October 18, 2025, millions of Americans are taking to the streets for No Kings Day. The Not Above the Law coalition is joining this mobilization to spotlight Trump’s systematic assault on constitutional governance and the rule of law. A president who ignores constitutional limits, uses military force to intimidate civilians, and dismantles the systems designed to hold him accountable puts our republic in danger. Our Constitution was written to ensure that no one – not even a president – is above the law. Trump’s actions represent an unprecedented assault on constitutional governance, with federal judges appointed by both Republican and Democratic presidents repeatedly ruling that the Trump administration’s actions have been unlawful. This No Kings Day, Americans across the country will send a clear message that America is a nation of laws–not a nation of despots. Here are five times Trump ignored, violated, or abused constitutional safeguards: 1. Challenging Birthright Citizenship On January 20, Trump issued an executive order purporting to end birthright citizenship for children born in the U.S. to undocumented parents – attempting to rewrite the 14th Amendment through executive action. A federal judge called the order “blatantly unconstitutional” and issued a temporary restraining order to block it. Multiple federal courts, including the First Circuit Court of Appeals, ruled the order violates the Constitution’s Citizenship Clause and federal law. 2. Unconstitutional Federal Spending Freeze Trump attempted to freeze trillions of dollars in federal spending through an OMB memo, illegally ignoring Congress’s constitutional “power of the purse.” Multiple federal judges ruled the freeze “likely unconstitutional,” finding that it “fundamentally undermines the distinct constitutional roles of each branch of our government.” Even after court orders, the Trump administration continued to withhold hundreds of millions of dollars in FEMA disaster relief and other congressionally appropriated funds. 3. Retaliation Against Law Firms Trump issued executive orders targeting major law firms – including WilmerHale, Perkins Coie, Jenner & Block, and Susman Godfrey – suspending security clearances and threatening to terminate government contracts simply for representing clients. Federal judges found all four executive orders unconstitutional, ruling they violated the First Amendment through viewpoint discrimination, the Fifth Amendment’s due process protections, and the Sixth Amendment right to counsel. One judge wrote that Trump’s orders amounted to “Using the powers of the federal government to target lawyers for their representation of clients…contrary to the Constitution.” 4. Freezing Life-Saving Medical Research at Universities Trump froze billions in medical research grants to universities for political reasons unrelated to the research itself – jeopardizing the development of life-saving drugs and treatments. At Columbia University alone, $250 million in health research grants remained frozen even after the university made policy changes. Congress’s watchdog concluded Trump illegally withheld the funds, violating both the Constitution and the Impoundment Control Act. Federal judges blocked the funding cuts as violations of the First Amendment and due process. 5. Ignoring and Defying Court Orders on Deportations In March, Trump defied a federal judge’s order to halt deportation flights, allowing planes carrying alleged Venezuelan gang members to land in El Salvador despite a court order to turn them around mid-flight. A federal judge found probable cause to hold the administration in criminal contempt for violating court orders related to deportations to South Sudan. The Supreme Court ordered Trump to facilitate the return of Kilmar Abrego Garcia, a Maryland resident wrongfully deported to El Salvador, but DOJ lawyers refused to provide details on when and how they would ensure his return to the United States. |
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