House Minority Leader Rep. Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY) declared that the U.S. Supreme Court must “aggressively enforce” its orders against the Trump administration, calling for the use of contempt powers to target officials allegedly defying judicial rulings. Jeffries Supreme Court demands, made during an interview on CNN’s Inside Politics, is part of escalating rhetoric by Democrat leaders who claim the former president is provoking a constitutional crisis.
Jeffries responded to questions about recent disputes between the Trump administration and the courts, including a case involving Kilmar Abrego Garcia and ongoing access restrictions against the Associated Press at White House events. A judge reportedly ordered the White House to treat the AP equally with other media outlets, but critics say the administration has not complied.
“The president is assaulting the economy, assaulting Social Security, assaulting health care, assaulting the American way of life, and assaulting our democracy,” Jeffries stated, labeling the situation a full-blown crisis. He added that if the Trump administration continues to defy the courts, the Supreme Court “needs to lean into that” and use “all of the tools available,” including contempt.
Jeffries’ comments raise concerns about potential overreach and politicization of the judiciary. The call to “aggressively enforce” court orders and hold administration officials in contempt could signal a push by Democrat leadership to involve the judiciary in political battles ahead of the 2024 election. While he accuses Trump of undermining democracy, Jeffries’ approach suggests Democrats are preparing to weaponize the court system in retaliation.
The Minority Leader pledged congressional support for the courts in any future legal confrontations with the Trump administration. The remarks underscore the deepening divide between Democrats and Republicans, particularly as President Trump continues to lead in GOP polls and remains a major influence on national policy discussions.
