Washington, D.C. – In a forceful address from the White House Tuesday evening, President Donald Trump took aim at the federal judiciary, criticizing court decisions that he says are obstructing his administration’s aggressive deportation efforts.
Trump, who returned to the Oval Office in January for a second term, touted what he described as major successes in immigration enforcement, claiming his policies have sharply reduced illegal border crossings.
“Honestly, it’s one of the great successes; we have virtually nobody coming in illegally,” the president declared. “We’re getting very bad people out—killers, murderers, drug dealers.”
However, Trump expressed frustration with federal judges who have issued injunctions against his executive orders, including those targeting undocumented immigrants and gang members.
“I hope we get cooperation from the courts,” Trump said. “We have thousands of people ready to be deported. You can’t have a trial for all of them—it was never meant to work that way.”
Legal Pushback and Supreme Court Showdown Ahead
Since January, the Trump administration has faced a wave of lawsuits challenging its immigration policies. Among the most high-profile is an upcoming Supreme Court case on May 15, which will address the legality of three nationwide injunctions that blocked Trump’s attempt to end birthright citizenship for children born to undocumented immigrants.
Last month, a federal judge also temporarily blocked the administration from using the Alien Enemies Act to deport criminal gang members, calling into question the legal foundation for Trump’s approach to immigration enforcement.
Trump warned that continued judicial resistance could have dire consequences for public safety.
“Under Biden, we were having hundreds of thousands come in each month—many from prisons, mental institutions, gangs from Venezuela and elsewhere,” he said. “They emptied their prisons into our country.”
“I won an election on getting them out. But if a judge says, ‘No, they need a trial,’ and that trial takes two years—we’re going to have a very dangerous country.”
Trade Talk: Tariffs and China
The president also addressed the ongoing trade war with China, insisting that any deal must be on America’s terms.
“Ultimately, they have to make a deal or they can’t do business here,” Trump said. “And if they don’t make a deal, we’ll set the deal.”
Trump suggested that although the current 145 percent tariff on Chinese imports could be lowered, “it won’t be zero.”
“It used to be zero. China was taking us for a ride,” he added. “But we’re not going to let them build their military on our money anymore.”
Despite the tough rhetoric, Trump noted that he has a positive relationship with President Xi Jinping, and believes both nations can ultimately find common ground.
“I think we’re going to live together very happily and ideally work together,” he said.
Trump also dispelled speculation that he planned to remove Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell amid disagreements over interest rates.
“None whatsoever. Never did,” Trump said when asked if he intended to fire Powell. “The press runs away with things.”
Still, the president reiterated his preference for lower interest rates.
“This is a perfect time to lower interest rates,” Trump said. “Would it be the end if he doesn’t? No. But it would’ve been better timing.”