Overview

• The new term features cases on Trump’s tariffs, the president’s power to remove leaders of once-independent agencies, and a challenge to an executive order targeting birthright citizenship.
• Critics tie the moment to the 2024 ruling in Trump v. United States, authored by Chief Justice John Roberts, which recognized broad presumptive immunity for presidents’ official acts.
• Reports note the Court has repeatedly favored Trump through the emergency or “shadow” docket, granting rapid relief that allowed policies to proceed without full opinions.
• Commentators advance two explanations for the pattern of Trump victories: an appeasement strategy to avoid a confrontation and an ideological commitment to a strong unitary executive.
• Beyond executive-power disputes, the docket includes fights over agency independence and speech, including a political-party coordination case and a challenge to Colorado’s counselor speech restrictions.