On Thursday, President Donald Trump instructed his Department of Justice to scrutinize ActBlue, a key fundraising platform for the Democratic Party that has been instrumental in challenging the Republican agenda. Following this command, the political landscape was further stirred the next day when Trump’s FBI arrested a Milwaukee judge. The judge was accused of assisting a migrant in bypassing immigration authorities, a move that amplifies Trump’s ongoing conflict with the judiciary that has frequently hindered his initiatives due to potential constitutional violations.
These actions reverberated through both the legal and political circles, already rattled by the administration’s aggressive stance under Trump, targeting law firms, media entities, and dissenting voices. These investigations epitomize a now-familiar strategy in Trump’s second term, where he has utilized federal machinery to quell opposition and silence detractors.
Harvard political scientist Steve Levitsky remarked on this pattern, highlighting the consistency of such governmental weaponization since Trump’s inauguration. “This was part of his campaign,” Levitsky noted, “and he’s adhered to it consistently.”
The arrest warrant filed by the Justice Department alleged that Milwaukee County Circuit Court Judge Hannah Dugan facilitated the removal of the alleged illegal immigrant through a non-traditional exit from her courtroom, following a visible reaction to the presence of immigration officials. This arrest was publicly announced via a now-deleted social media post by Kash Patel, Trump’s FBI director, known for compiling a pre-election “enemies list.” The incident sparked local protests and national outrage among Democrats, who see this as a severe breach of judicial independence.
Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer voiced the alarm, declaring, “There are no kings in America,” and denouncing the arrest as an assault on the separation of powers and a dangerous escalation of executive action. Schumer vowed a strong defense against these measures.
Attorney General Pam Bondi, addressing the case on Fox News, issued a warning to the judiciary nationwide, hinting at broader implications amid tensions with federal judges opposed to Trump’s policies. Bondi revoked certain protections for journalists shortly thereafter, marking a significant shift in how the administration engages with legal challenges to Trump’s initiatives.
President Trump, expressing his vexation during a flight en route to Pope Francis’ funeral in Rome, criticized judges for thwarting his deportation agenda. “These are judges just trying to flaunt their importance,” he told reporters, underscoring his administration’s frustrations with the judiciary’s role in immigration policy.
The White House openly mocked several judicial orders that impeded its immigration efforts, underscoring its defiance of the judiciary by bypassing orders through technicalities. Congressional allies and online supporters of Trump have even called for the impeachment of judges opposing his executive actions, with instances of overt disregard for judicial rulings.
Simultaneously, Trump strategically targeted ActBlue, probing the platform for potential illegal foreign donations, despite claims by the site of compliance with legal standards. Criticism has mounted over what Democrats perceive as a politically motivated attack on their infrastructure, as Trump left out the Republican equivalent, WinRed, from the investigation.
Dartmouth College political scientist Brendan Nyhan draws parallels with authoritarian practices worldwide, where government power is leveraged to cripple opposition, making electoral competition unfair. “We’re beyond the realms of Watergate,” he asserted, signifying an alarming shift from democratic norms and warning of the steep challenges facing opposition parties in such climates.