House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.) has sharply criticized the Supreme Court, accusing it of “enabling” former President Donald Trump to act in a manner reminiscent of a monarch. Speaking on CNN’s The Situation Room, Jeffries described the Court’s actions as “shameful” and argued that its decisions gave Trump an unwarranted sense of immunity and power.
Jeffries specifically pointed to the Supreme Court’s decisions that granted Trump near-complete presidential immunity, allowing him to bypass legal consequences that other citizens would face. He claimed that this judicial overreach effectively allowed Trump to operate without checks and balances, a sentiment that directly contradicts the founding principles laid out by the framers of the Constitution, who sought to prevent any president from behaving as a king.
The Democratic leader also took aim at Trump’s influence on the Justice Department, criticizing both his administration’s tactics and the role of conservative justices in emboldening his behavior. Jeffries emphasized that the Department of Justice, despite its historical role as a pillar of accountability, has been compromised under Trump’s leadership.
While Jeffries acknowledged the ongoing legal challenges against Trump, including actions from Democratic state attorneys general and President Joe Biden’s Justice Department, he insisted that full accountability would only be achieved once there is a more independent DOJ and Congress under Democratic control. He called for a reevaluation of the Supreme Court’s role in granting Trump unchecked power, describing the situation as a “disaster” for American democracy.
