CNN's Scott Jennings suggests Trump may need to “defy” judges who order his administration to comply with the law
Scott Jennings: “Should the president, the singular president, should he have to share the presidency with 300 district court judges? No. Absolutely not.”
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From the February 10, 2025, edition of CNN's NewsNight with Abby Phillip
SCOTT JENNINGS (CNN SENIOR POLITICAL COMMENTATOR): Should the president, the singular president, should he have to share the presidency with 300 district court judges? No. Absolutely not.
ALENCIA JOHNSON (GUEST): But the point, though — you made a really good point that there have been judges that shut down some of President Biden’s executive actions, and they understand, the Biden administration understood the checks and balances.
JENNINGS: And he ignored it.
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ELIE HONIG (CNN SENIOR LEGAL ANALYST): He did not ignore it, though. He went and tried under a different law. You're allowed —
JENNINGS: So he ignored it.
JOHNSON: That's not ignoring it.
HONIG: No, that's not ignoring it.
JENNINGS: He literally defied it.
HONIG: But let me just understand where you where you stand. If a district court judge rules in a way that the president dislikes, should the president listen, or should the president defy.
JENNINGS: If a district court judge tries to usurp the authority of the chief executive of this country, he should absolutely defy it. There’s a difference between broad policy decisions and discreet disputes between parties. That’s the difference. If I want a policy decided, I’ll take it to the Supreme Court.
JOHNSON: What about checks and balances?
JENNINGS: Of a district court judge? Who elected them?
ABBY PHILLIP (HOST): What I can’t get with is you talking in these bizarre, broad generalities.
JENNINGS: It’s not bizarre.
PHILLIP: Every single one of these cases deals with a discrete issue. OK. It deals with funding. It deals with the with certain constitutionally or statutorily appointed roles. Every single one of these things is a distinct thing, and they’re all being dealt with by different judges. So it’s not broad swaths of policy here.
JENNINGS: It is.
PHILLIP: When the court says says Congress, you know, appropriated this money, you must unfreeze it while we litigate this. Why can’t Trump comply with that?
JENNINGS: So you’re saying that a judge should decide how and when money is spent for years and not the President of the United States?