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rule of law

The principle that all persons and institutions, including the government, are accountable to laws that are publicly promulgated, equally enforced, and independently adjudicated. Covers attacks on legal institutions, defiance of court orders, and arbitrary governance.

Related incidents

4 incidents

Systematic Attacks on Judicial Independence and Defiance of Court Orders

A pattern of court order defiance, threats against judges, calls for impeachment, and DOJ Civil Rights Division gutting that constitutional scholars describe as the most serious executive-judicial …

  • The administration continued deportation flights after Judge Boasberg ordered them stopped, leading to a finding of probable cause for …
  • Trump called for the impeachment of Judge Boasberg, prompting a rare rebuke from Chief Justice Roberts.

Weaponization of the Department of Justice: Retaliatory Investigations and Prosecutions

Systematic weaponization of the DOJ through a retaliatory investigations unit, indictments of political opponents that were dismissed as brought by an unlawfully appointed prosecutor, mass departure …

  • Trump appointed Ed Martin — a former Missouri party chair who promoted election fraud claims and defended January 6 rioters — to lead a DOJ …
  • Former FBI Director James Comey was indicted September 25, 2025, and New York AG Letitia James was indicted October 9, 2025. Both …

Mass Firing of Inspectors General Across Federal Government

Trump fired at least 17 inspectors general across the federal government without the advance notice to Congress that the Inspector General Act generally requires, and a later federal ruling said the …

  • At least 17 inspectors general were removed in a single sweep across multiple agencies.
  • The Inspector General Act generally requires notice to Congress before removal.

Blanket Clemency for January 6 Defendants, Including Violent Offenders

Trump used his first day back in office to grant sweeping clemency to January 6 defendants, including people convicted of violent attacks on police and leaders of groups convicted of seditious …

  • The clemency action covered most January 6 defendants on Trump's first day back in office.
  • It extended to violent offenders and leaders of groups convicted of seditious conspiracy.