J.D. Vance Just Declared War on Judicial Oversight
J.D. Vance just broadcast Trump’s 2025 coup plans in broad daylight. In a post on X (formerly Twitter), he wrote:
“Judges aren’t allowed to control the executive’s legitimate power.”
Not ‘courts shouldn’t overreach.’ Not ‘balance matters.’ He outright declared that judicial oversight should not exist. That’s not just unconstitutional—it’s autocratic.
This is the legal equivalent of lighting the Constitution on fire and pissing on the ashes. Vance isn’t just parroting Trump’s usual strongman rhetoric—he’s serving as the administration’s legal attack dog, testing the waters for their next power grab: dismantling the judiciary. As Trump’s closest political enforcer, he’s laying the groundwork for the next phase of their Authoritarian Christian nationalist coup.
The message is clear: The courts won’t be allowed to stop them.
And if history tells us anything, when fascists say they’re going to do something, believe them.
The Courts Are Compromised—And Trump Is Coming for the Rest
Let’s not kid ourselves—the judiciary isn’t some sacred bastion of fairness. It’s already compromised. The Supreme Court is packed with justices handpicked by the Federalist Society, installed through political maneuvering, some under highly questionable circumstances.
During his first term (2017–2021), President Donald Trump stacked the judiciary with 226 federal judges—many young, many handpicked by the Federalist Society, the conservative legal machine responsible for transforming the courts into a right-wing stronghold. These lifetime appointees weren’t chosen for their judicial expertise—they were chosen for their loyalty. Their rulings will shape America for decades, because under Article III of the U.S. Constitution, these judges serve for life.
Trump’s judicial takeover put three justices on the Supreme Court, 54 on appellate courts, and 169 on district courts—shaping America’s legal future for generations. (Pew Research)
U.S. Judicial Corruption is Already Out in the Open:
- Justice Clarence Thomas has been exposed for receiving luxury gifts and financial favors from billionaire Harlan Crow. (ProPublica.org)
- Justice Samuel Alito took a private jet funded by a right-wing billionaire with cases before the Court. (ProPublica.org), (apnews.com)
The court’s rulings reflect this corruption:
- Shelby County v. Holder (2013) gutted the Voting Rights Act, allowing Republican-controlled states to impose racist voter suppression laws unchecked.
- Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health (2022) overturned decades of precedent, stripping away reproductive rights.
- West Virginia v. EPA (2022) stripped the government of its ability to regulate greenhouse gas emissions, handing polluters free rein to accelerate climate collapse.
And now, with Trump and Vance steering the ship, they want to push the judiciary even further into authoritarian waters.
Courts Exist to Stop Power-Drunk Executives—And They Have Before
Vance’s claim isn’t just false—it’s dangerous propaganda. Judicial oversight is not a partisan issue—it’s a constitutional safeguard. The courts exist to stop executive overreach. That’s not a radical idea. It’s the foundation of American democracy. (fjc.gov)
Judicial oversight is the backbone of American democracy. Without it, the presidency is just a dictatorship in disguise. This system of checks and balances ensures that no single branch of government becomes too powerful. The Supreme Court’s power of judicial review allows it to declare legislative or executive acts unconstitutional, thereby maintaining this balance. (uscourts.gov)
And every time a president has tried to steamroll the courts, the judiciary fought back:
- George W. Bush tried to strip Guantanamo Bay detainees of their right to challenge their imprisonment. The Supreme Court slammed the door on him in Boumediene v. Bush (2008), ruling that the Constitution does not stop at U.S. borders.
- Donald Trump’s Muslim ban was shut down by the courts until he watered it down enough to scrape by in Trump v. Hawaii (2018)—a ruling that still stands as a judicial failure, not a win.
- Joe Biden’s DHS attempted to override state challenges to deportation policy, and the courts ruled that prosecutorial discretion is not a blank check.
This is how checks and balances work. The executive branch does not rule unchecked. The courts have always had the power to stop executive overreach—until now.
Because Vance wants that gone.
If Trump gets his way, the courts won’t be a guardrail anymore. They’ll be a rubber stamp. The judiciary is one of the last obstacles standing between Trump’s authoritarian ambitions and absolute rule.
It’s a textbook authoritarian move. We’ve seen it in:
Israel under Netanyahu: Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has pursued judicial reforms aimed at weakening the Supreme Court’s authority, a move critics argue threatens the country’s democratic foundations. (foreignpolicy.com)
Hungary under Orbán: Prime Minister Viktor Orbán has systematically eroded judicial independence, consolidating power and transforming Hungary into what many describe as an “illiberal democracy.” (project-syndicate.org)
Russia under Putin: President Vladimir Putin has effectively dismantled judicial autonomy, ensuring that courts align with Kremlin interests, thereby suppressing dissent and consolidating authoritarian rule (project-syndicate.org)
Christian Nationalism, Project 2025, and the War on the Rule of Law
The Christian nationalist movement backing Trump and Vance doesn’t want checks and balances. They want a theocratic executive branch that can enforce its will unopposed.
Enter Project 2025—Trump’s roadmap to dictatorship.
This Heritage Foundation-crafted plan lays out, in black and white, a blueprint for:
- Mass firings of government officials who won’t toe the line
- Purging non-loyalists across the executive branch (latimes.com)
- Redesigning the federal government to place unchecked power in Trump’s hands
According to the official Project 2025 website, they plan to “take control of the administrative state” by removing legal constraints on the executive branch.
But Project 2025 isn’t just about executive overreach—it’s about dismantling the courts. Trump’s inner circle knows the judiciary is still an obstacle, which is why their transition plan explicitly calls for “removing layers of oversight.”
Translation: Judges won’t just be ignored. They’ll be eliminated.
This isn’t just authoritarianism in motion. This is a coordinated legal coup. The plan is already unfolding, and Vance just confirmed it.
This is what fascism looks like in real time. The judiciary is one of the last obstacles standing between Trump’s authoritarian ambitions and absolute rule.
So, what’s Trump’s move?
Discredit the courts, ignore their rulings, stack the judiciary with loyalists who rubber-stamp every decree.
This isn’t speculation—it’s happening.
Trump’s first term saw 226 federal judges appointed, many young, many unqualified, all handpicked by the Federalist Society—and that was when he had to play by the rules. Now, unshackled from reelection concerns and hellbent on vengeance, he and Vance want to eliminate judicial oversight entirely.
It’s a textbook authoritarian move. We’ve seen it in:
- Israel under Netanyahu: Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has pursued judicial reforms aimed at weakening the Supreme Court’s authority, a move critics argue threatens the country’s democratic foundations. (foreignpolicy.com)
- Hungary under Orbán: Prime Minister Viktor Orbán has systematically eroded judicial independence, consolidating power and transforming Hungary into what many describe as an “illiberal democracy.” (project-syndicate.org)
- Russia under Putin: President Vladimir Putin has effectively dismantled judicial autonomy, ensuring that courts align with Kremlin interests, thereby suppressing dissent and consolidating authoritarian rule. (project-syndicate.org)
The judiciary isn’t perfect. It’s slow, bureaucratic, sometimes infuriatingly conservative. But it’s one of the last institutions capable of slowing an authoritarian takeover.
If we let them dismantle it—if we let them convince America that judicial oversight is “illegal” or “illegitimate”—then the road to dictatorship will be paved and waiting.
This isn’t just about controlling the courts—it’s about making them irrelevant. If they succeed, the law will mean whatever they say it does. Elections will be rigged before a single vote is cast. Protests will be criminalized before they even begin.
By the time the judiciary is gone, it won’t matter how you vote, what you protest, or what laws exist—because there won’t be anyone left to enforce them.
Aboard Air Force One Trump was hit with a direct question:
“You suffered a couple of court losses, Mr. President, and J.D. Vance says judges can’t control executive power. What’s your take on that?”
Trump didn’t hesitate: “No judge, frankly, should be allowed to make that decision—it’s a disgrace.”
The sitting president, mid-flight, outright dismissed judicial oversight like it was an inconvenient formality.
If you’re paying attention, you are the resistance.
NEXT STEPS…
What can you do?
NEXT STEPS: WHAT CAN YOU DO?
This isn’t just another political crisis. This is the fight for the survival of your democracy. If Trump and Vance succeed in dismantling judicial oversight, the rule of law will collapse—and once it’s gone, there’s no getting it back.
You don’t have to sit back and watch this happen. Here’s what you can do right now:
1. Mobilize: Make Noise, Spread the Word
- Talk about this. Share this article, discuss it with friends, and force this conversation into the mainstream.Authoritarianism thrives in silence.
- Use social media as a weapon. Call out Vance, Trump, and Project 2025. Hashtags matter.
- #StopTheCoup
- #DefendDemocracy
- #Project2025
- #50501protest
2. Pressure Congress to Act
- Demand hearings on Project 2025. Make every politician go on record about whether they support or oppose Trump’s judicial coup.
- Call your representatives. Tell them you expect them to stand up against this attack on democracy.
3. Support Pro-Democracy Organizations
- Groups fighting back need funding and volunteers. Consider donating, volunteering, or attending events.
- Brennan Center for Justice (brennancenter.org) – Fighting voter suppression & judicial integrity.
- Protect Democracy (protectdemocracy.org) – Legal action against authoritarian overreach.
- ACLU (aclu.org) – Protecting civil liberties in the courts.
4. Get Ready to Vote—and Help Others Do the Same
- 2025 isn’t just another election. It’s a referendum on whether democracy survives.
- Check your voter registration and make sure others do too.
- CanIVote.org – National Association of Secretaries of State voter resources.
5. Prepare for Direct Action
- Mass protests stopped Trump before. They can do it again.
- Legal observer training, protest safety, and mutual aid networks will be essential if Trump’s takeover escalates into outright suppression.
This isn’t a drill. The judiciary is the last firewall between democracy and authoritarian rule.