AP Review: Trump Administration Violated Court Orders in 31 Lawsuits

Legal scholars noted that previous administrations, including Trump's first term, had at most a few such violations over four years, and were generally apologetic, unlike the current Justice Department's combative stance in some instances.

Ryan Goodman, a law professor at New York University tracking litigation against the administration, said the court system's experience in the last year and a half is qualitatively different from prior periods. David Super, a constitutional law scholar at Georgetown University, stated that when the federal government ceases to feel bound by the rule of law, respect for it is likely to break down across the country.

Former federal judges Jeremy Fogel and Liam O'Grady, now with the nonpartisan group Keep Our Republic, said judges are losing trust in the Justice Department's integrity, leading to more accusations of bad faith. White House spokeswoman Abigail Jackson said in a statement that higher courts have overturned unlawful district court rulings, and the administration will continue to comply with lawful rulings while implementing President Trump's America First agenda.

The AP review found that in nearly half of the 31 cases, higher courts, including the Supreme Court, overruled district courts and sided with the administration.

“This is not the first time the Court closes its eyes to noncompliance, nor, I fear, will it be the last.”

Critics, including Justice Sonia Sotomayor in a June dissent joined by two other liberal justices, said such higher court decisions erode respect for courts and the rule of law.

The administration has faced over 700 lawsuits prompted by its policy moves. In about a third of the 31 cases, Trump officials eventually backed down. JoAnna Suriani, counsel at the nonpartisan group Protect Democracy tracking noncompliance, said the danger is that this behavior gets normalized.

An example from education policy involves a December injunction by U.S. District Judge Kymberly Evanson blocking the Education Department from discontinuing grants that included diversity considerations. States including California reported the administration imposed new rules like a six-month funding limit, leading to layoff notices for mental health providers in districts like Eureka City Schools.

School administrator Lisa Claussen said the grant discontinuation affects students' mental health support, noting the district hired over a dozen psychologists and social workers with the funds. Justice Department attorneys have disputed noncompliance accusations in filings, arguing over order interpretations and citing favorable appellate rulings.

Vice President JD Vance has suggested the president could ignore court orders, and President Trump has criticized federal judges. Will Chamberlain, senior counsel with the conservative Article III Project, said many judges finding violations are ignoring laws, and the administration is generally complying, appealing and winning.

The pattern reflects an expansive view of executive authority challenging federal agency independence, presidential ethical obligations and the U.S. role in the international order.