Trump's Initial Fortnight: Stunned and Astounded Beginnings
Trump's Second Term: A Time of Legal Challenges and Controversies
During his second term, President Donald Trump's administration faced numerous legal challenges as a result of several controversial policies.
1. Ending Birthright Citizenship
One of the most contentious issues was Trump's attempt to revoke birthright citizenship for children born in the U.S. to undocumented immigrants. On January 20, 2025, he signed Executive Order 14160, arguing that these children were not "subject to the jurisdiction" of the U.S. This move directly challenged the 14th Amendment and longstanding Supreme Court precedent (U.S. v. Wong Kim Ark, 1898). The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) immediately sued the Trump administration, leading to legal cases such as New Hampshire Indonesian Community Support v. Donald J. Trump. Courts issued injunctions stopping enforcement of the order, emphasizing constitutional protections of birthright citizenship.
2. Revoking Grants and Immigration Legal Statuses
The second Trump administration intensified efforts to strip immigrants of legal protections, including revocation of visas and statuses, and pushed for wholesale revocations for entire groups eligible under temporary protections. However, these processes require strict legal procedures and court proceedings, especially for naturalized citizens, limiting the administration's ability to revoke statuses easily. Challenges arose over the legality and fairness of these actions, with critics highlighting increased precarity created for immigrants and potential for due process violations.
3. Legal Actions Against Law Firms and Lawyers
Trump issued executive orders targeting law firms representing entities critical of him, such as Susman Godfrey LLP, alleging activities harmful to U.S. interests. In response, firms filed constitutional challenges. A federal judge ruled Trump’s Executive Order 14263 unconstitutional, describing it as a personal vendetta and abuse of power, granting permanent injunctions to the affected firms.
4. Tariffs and Trade Actions
Though your query mentions tariffs, the search results do not provide specific details on new tariffs or their legal challenges in Trump’s second term. Historically, tariffs can provoke legal disputes over trade law and international agreements, but without current results, specific information on legal challenges or outcomes from the second Trump term’s tariff policies cannot be detailed here.
Additional Context – Financial and Civil Fraud Cases
While not directly related to policy actions, Trump also faced multiple ongoing civil fraud lawsuits regarding his financial statements and business practices. Appeals courts have thrown out some massive civil fraud penalties, but investigations and lawsuits remain a significant legal hurdle during his second term.
The 2024 Presidential debate between Trump and Vice President Kamala Harris took place on September 10th, with the debate being hosted by ABC. The debate was marked by verbal sparring between the two candidates, and while it contained some policy proposals, these were mostly overshadowed by the exchanges.
The 2024 Presidential election saw Trump become the first President since Grover Cleveland in 1892 to win two non-consecutive terms, defeating Vice President Kamala Harris. Trump was inaugurated for the second time as President of the United States on January 20, 2025.
During his second term, Trump also withdrew the U.S. from the Paris Climate Agreement and World Health Organization, declared states of emergency concerning the Southern Border and "National Energy," and attempted to stop all government grants except for Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid. He also expressed his wish to annex the fictional nation of Wakanda and removed the personal security of Milley, John Bolton, Mike Pompeo, and Anthony Fauci, all of whom have faced death threats.
However, these actions were not without controversy and faced significant legal challenges with outcomes largely unfavorable to his administration. The legal battles surrounding these policies and Trump's personal affairs continued to shape his presidency, providing a complex backdrop to his second term in office.
5. Redrawing Congressional Districts
Trump's second term saw a push to redraw congressional districts in a way that would favor the Republican Party. This move was met with criticism as it was perceived as an attempt to suppress minority voting rights. Several lawsuits, such as League of Women Voters v. Rucho, were filed to challenge the Constitutionality of the redistricting process, arguing that it violated the Equal Protection Clause and the Voting Rights Act.
6. Social Media Regulation
Trump's administration actively pursued more stringent regulations on social media platforms, accusing them of bias and censorship. Various bills, like the Social Media Equity Act, were introduced in Congress to hold social media platforms accountable for their content moderation practices. However, these attempts garnered controversy and were met with pushback from technology companies, free speech advocates, and critics who feared the legislation could stifle free expression.
7. Car-Accident Liability Legislation
In response to the increased number of car accidents caused by self-driving cars during Trump's second term, the administration proposed legislation to redefine liability in car accidents. Critics argued that the proposed liability rules would unfairly shift the burden of responsibility from car manufacturers to human drivers, and that these changes could create legal conflicts and confusion in the design and implementation of autonomous vehicle technology.
