Supreme Court Rules on Dozens of Trump Administration Cases in First Year

The U.S. Supreme Court has addressed numerous legal challenges to President Trump's policies since he returned to office in January 2025. The high court has ruled on issues ranging from tariffs and immigration to federal employee firings and agency restructuring.

Since President Donald Trump began his second term in January 2025, the nation’s highest court has been flooded with legal challenges to his administration’s actions across multiple policy areas.

The Supreme Court justices have weighed in on disputes involving immigration enforcement, federal agency independence, military policies, government workforce changes, and international trade measures.

TRADE POLICY SETBACK

In a significant blow to the administration’s economic agenda, the Supreme Court ruled 6-3 on February 20 against Trump’s extensive tariff program. The justices determined that his use of the International Emergency Economic Powers Act from 1977 went beyond presidential authority. The court emphasized that under the Constitution, Congress holds the power to establish taxes and tariffs, not the president. These tariffs had sparked international trade disputes, unsettled financial markets, and created worldwide economic instability since Trump launched his global trade offensive.

FEDERAL RESERVE INDEPENDENCE

The justices appeared doubtful about Trump’s unusual attempt to dismiss Federal Reserve Governor Lisa Cook during January 21 oral arguments. The case centers on the central bank’s autonomy from political pressure. Congressional law establishing the Fed includes safeguards against political meddling, mandating that governors can only be removed “for cause,” though this term lacks clear definition or established procedures. Trump moved to terminate Cook in August, alleging mortgage fraud prior to her appointment – accusations Cook disputes. Cook, a Biden appointee, maintains these charges are merely a cover for policy disagreements. The court’s decision is anticipated by late June.

MILITARY DEPLOYMENT BLOCKED

On December 23, 2025, the court declined to authorize Trump’s plan to deploy National Guard forces to the Chicago region, part of his expanded domestic military operations in Democratic-controlled areas that opponents view as retribution against political rivals. The justices upheld U.S. District Judge April Perry’s injunction preventing the deployment of hundreds of troops in response to a lawsuit filed by Illinois state and local officials. The Justice Department had requested permission for the deployment while litigation continued.

AGENCY LEADERSHIP DISPUTES

During December 8, 2025 arguments, conservative justices signaled support for Trump’s dismissal of Federal Trade Commission member Rebecca Slaughter, potentially strengthening executive power while threatening decades-old legal precedent. The case involves the administration’s appeal of a lower court ruling that found Trump overstepped his authority by removing the Democratic FTC member in March before her term concluded. Conservative justices seemed receptive to arguments that congressional tenure protections for independent agency heads unconstitutionally limit presidential authority. The court permitted Slaughter’s removal while the case proceeds, with a ruling expected by June’s end.

The justices postponed action on November 26, 2025, regarding Trump’s effort to remove the nation’s chief copyright official, temporarily keeping Shira Perlmutter in her position as U.S. register of copyrights and Copyright Office director while her legal challenge continues.

CITIZENSHIP AND IMMIGRATION

Arguments are scheduled for April 1 concerning Trump’s controversial directive limiting birthright citizenship, which would fundamentally change how a 19th-century constitutional provision has been interpreted. A lower court blocked the executive order instructing federal agencies to deny citizenship recognition to children born in America if neither parent holds U.S. citizenship or permanent residency status. The court found Trump’s policy violated the 14th Amendment and existing federal law protecting birthright citizenship in a class-action case brought by affected families.

Earlier, on June 27, 2025, the Supreme Court restricted federal judges’ ability to issue nationwide injunctions against presidential policies.

The court supported Trump’s aggressive immigration stance on September 8, 2025, by allowing federal agents to conduct Southern California raids targeting individuals for deportation based on race or language. It granted the Justice Department’s request to suspend a judge’s order that temporarily prohibited agents from stopping or detaining people without “reasonable suspicion” of illegal presence, or based on race, ethnicity, or Spanish-speaking or accented English.

On October 3, 2025, the court again enabled the administration to eliminate temporary legal protection for hundreds of thousands of Venezuelan migrants, supporting Trump’s mass deportation priorities. It approved the administration’s request to halt U.S. District Judge Edward Chen’s ruling that Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem lacked authority to terminate the Temporary Protected Status granted under Biden.

The court allowed the administration on May 30, 2025, to revoke temporary legal status for hundreds of thousands of Venezuelan, Cuban, Haitian and Nicaraguan migrants. It suspended U.S. District Judge Indira Talwani’s order blocking the termination of immigration “parole” for 532,000 migrants, potentially exposing them to swift removal.

On May 16, 2025, the court maintained its block on Trump’s deportations of Venezuelan migrants under an 1798 wartime law, citing inadequate due process. The justices granted an ACLU request to continue halting removals. The administration alleges these Venezuelans belong to the Tren de Aragua criminal organization.

The court cleared the way on June 23, 2025, for resumed deportations to “third countries” without allowing migrants to demonstrate potential harm they might face at their destination.

On April 10, 2025, the court ordered the administration to facilitate the return of Kilmar Abrego, a Salvadoran man erroneously deported to El Salvador. Attorney General Pam Bondi announced on June 6 that Abrego had returned to face criminal charges for transporting illegal immigrants. Abrego entered a not guilty plea.

TRANSGENDER POLICIES

The court permitted Trump’s transgender military ban on May 6, 2025, allowing the armed forces to discharge thousands of current transgender service members and reject new applicants while legal challenges proceed. It granted the Justice Department’s request to lift U.S. District Judge Benjamin Settle’s nationwide injunction blocking the policy implementation.

On November 6, 2025, the court allowed the administration to prohibit passport applicants from designating sex that reflects their gender identity, requiring documents to correspond only to birth-assigned sex while a class action lawsuit continues.

FEDERAL WORKFORCE CHANGES

The justices cleared the path on July 8, 2025, for massive government job cuts and extensive agency downsizing. They lifted U.S. District Judge Susan Illston’s order blocking large-scale federal layoffs termed “reductions in force.” Workforce cuts were planned across the Departments of Agriculture, Commerce, Health and Human Services, State, Treasury, Veterans Affairs and over a dozen other agencies.

On July 23, 2025, the court allowed Trump to remove three Democratic Consumer Product Safety Commission members – Mary Boyle, Alexander Hoehn-Saric and Richard Trumka Jr. – strengthening presidential control over agencies designed to be independent.

The court permitted Trump on May 22, 2025, to keep two Democratic federal labor board members away from their positions while their dismissal challenges proceed – Cathy Harris from the Merit Systems Protection Board and Gwynne Wilcox from the National Labor Relations Board.

On April 8, 2025, the justices blocked a judge’s order requiring the administration to rehire thousands of terminated employees, suspending U.S. Judge William Alsup’s injunction for six federal agencies to reinstate recently hired probationary workers.

SPENDING AND RESEARCH

The court allowed Trump on September 26, 2025, to withhold approximately $4 billion in congressionally authorized foreign aid as part of his “America First” agenda, despite constitutional provisions granting Congress spending authority.

However, on March 5, 2025, the justices refused to let the administration withhold payments to foreign aid organizations for completed work as Trump moves to eliminate American humanitarian projects globally.

The court cleared the way on July 14, 2025, for dismantling the Department of Education, supporting Trump’s effort to reduce federal education involvement in favor of state control. It lifted U.S. District Judge Myong Joun’s order reinstating nearly 1,400 department employees and blocking function transfers to other agencies.

On August 21, 2025, the court permitted extensive cuts to National Institutes of Health grants for research involving racial minorities or LGBT individuals, part of Trump’s campaign against diversity, equity and inclusion programs.

The justices allowed the administration on April 4, 2025, to proceed with millions in teacher training grant cuts as part of the diversity initiative crackdown.

GOVERNMENT EFFICIENCY

On June 6, 2025, the court granted the Department of Government Efficiency extensive access to personal information in Social Security Administration databases for millions of Americans as part of Trump’s federal workforce reduction efforts.

The same day, justices extended their block on judicial orders requiring DOGE to provide records to a government watchdog group seeking operational details.