Since Donald Trump’s return to the White House in January, the U.S. Supreme Court has become the arena where some of the fiercest battles over his sweeping assertions of power are being fought. From immigration raids to the independence of the Federal Reserve, from the definition of citizenship to the future of entire federal agencies, the justices are being asked again and again to referee the collision between Trump’s agenda and the limits of presidential authority.
Here’s a tour through the biggest legal clashes now shaping the high court’s docket:
The Federal Reserve Showdown
Trump is pushing to fire Federal Reserve Governor Lisa Cook—an unprecedented move in the central bank’s century-long history. Courts have blocked him for now, citing laws designed to shield the Fed from political interference. But Trump insists Cook’s removal is justified, sparking a fight that could redefine the very independence of the nation’s financial system.
FTC and the Fight for Agency Independence
The court recently allowed Trump to oust a Democratic commissioner from the Federal Trade Commission while it hears arguments in December. The stakes are enormous: a potential dismantling of decades-old protections meant to keep regulatory agencies from bending to political whims.
Tariffs on Trial
Trump’s global tariffs, a cornerstone of his economic nationalism, face their own day of reckoning. A lower court ruled he overstepped his emergency powers in imposing them. The Supreme Court now must decide whether his economic boldness was lawful authority—or unchecked overreach.
Immigration Battles on Every Front
Raids and Profiling: Federal agents were greenlit to continue immigration raids in California, despite accusations they relied on race and language as grounds for targeting.
TPS for Venezuelans: Trump moved to end deportation protections for hundreds of thousands of Venezuelans, a decision tied up in legal knots.
Parole and Deportations: From revoking “parole” for migrants to invoking an 18th-century wartime law for Venezuelan deportations, the administration has pushed policies that courts continue to question.
Third-Country Deportations: The justices also allowed Trump to send migrants to nations not their own, raising alarms about due process and humanitarian risks.
Citizenship in Question
In a stunning first-week executive order, Trump sought to curb birthright citizenship—an edict blocked nationwide. The Supreme Court has signaled that judges may have gone too far in halting the policy, but has not yet ruled on whether Trump’s interpretation of the Constitution can stand.
Transgender Rights Targeted
Trump’s policies have put LGBTQ+ rights back before the court:
Passports: His bid to block recognition of transgender identities on U.S. passports is on hold, with judges calling the move discriminatory.
Military Ban: The justices, however, allowed his administration to reinstate a ban on transgender service members, igniting fierce backlash.
Federal Workforce and Agencies in the Crosshairs
Trump’s drive to shrink government has triggered cases on mass layoffs, the dismantling of the Education Department, and the firing of agency heads from labor boards to consumer safety watchdogs. Each case tests the balance between presidential power and the structural independence Congress built into these institutions.
Spending and Aid Cuts
Billions in foreign aid, humanitarian grants, teacher training funds, and even NIH medical research money have been slashed or frozen under Trump’s directives. Courts have sometimes blocked, sometimes allowed these cuts, but the Supreme Court’s involvement signals how deeply budget fights have become constitutional showdowns.
Data, Secrecy, and the DOGE Experiment
Trump’s “Department of Government Efficiency” (DOGE)—once steered by Elon Musk—faces challenges over its access to Social Security data and whether it must comply with transparency laws. The justices are now weighing how far such experimental agencies can go in wielding power with little oversight.
From the future of birthright citizenship to the fate of federal watchdogs, Trump’s presidency has placed the Supreme Court at the center of nearly every national dispute. Each ruling carries consequences not only for his administration but for the architecture of American governance itself—revealing a presidency intent on testing, and possibly rewriting, the boundaries of executive power.
