WASHINGTON, D.C. — Federal judges in Washington, D.C., have cited social media posts by President Trump or senior administration officials in at least a dozen rulings against the government during his second term. The posts have been used as evidence in cases involving First Amendment challenges, withheld federal benefits and grants, fired federal workers, and the termination of temporary deportation protections for immigrants from certain countries.

Justice Department lawyers are defending the administration's policies in scores of lawsuits. Some of the rulings arose from challenges to actions against law firms, news outlets, and international students protesting against Israel.

U.S. District Judge James Boasberg blocked subpoenas issued by the U.S. Attorney's Office in Washington to the Federal Reserve, referencing more than 100 of Trump's social media posts denouncing Fed Chairman Jerome Powell, and found the subpoenas' justifications were pretext. "A mountain of evidence suggests that the dominant purpose is to harass Powell to pressure him to lower rates." Boasberg wrote. "For years, the President has publicly targeted Powell because the Fed is not delivering the low rates that Trump demands." he added. Jeanine Pirro, the U.S. Attorney in Washington, announced last month that her office is dropping its probe into Powell and renovations of the Federal Reserve's headquarters.

In another case, U.S. District Judge John McConnell cited Trump's posts on Truth Social as evidence that the administration withheld food aid for political reasons. McConnell found that statements by the Trump administration made clear it was withholding full SNAP benefits for political purposes and that partisanship rendered the decision arbitrary and capricious. Democracy Forward lawyers filed the lawsuit last November on behalf of small businesses and nonprofit organizations challenging the Agriculture Department's suspension of SNAP benefits during the government shutdown.

In April 2025, the administration announced it would freeze over $2 billion in federal grants to Harvard University, citing the school's treatment of Jewish students and antisemitism on campus. Harvard sued, alleging the decisions came in response to its refusal to comply with administration demands. U.S. District Judge Allison Burroughs ruled in September in favor of the university, finding the administration had retaliated against it in violation of the First Amendment. Burroughs wrote that Trump's social media posts corroborated that the actions were motivated by promoting a governmental orthodoxy rather than combating antisemitism. The Justice Department has appealed the decision.

Trump signed an executive order seeking to bar National Public Radio and the Public Broadcasting Service from receiving public funding because he said they reported with bias. NPR and PBS argued the order violated the First Amendment by discriminating and retaliating against them based on viewpoint and editorial choices. U.S. District Judge Randolph Moss ruled the order unconstitutional and permanently blocked its enforcement. "On this record, there can be no doubt that the Executive Order does not target Plaintiffs merely because they have a viewpoint or consistent perspective and therefore fail to live up to some yet-to-be-attained platonic ideal of 'unbiased' journalism, but because he views their speech as unfavorable to him and the Republican party." Moss wrote. "To be sure, the President is entitled to criticize this or any other reporting, and he can express his own views as he sees fit." he added.

The White House defended Trump's use of social media and criticized lower court judges who have ruled against the administration. "The American people love and value President Trump's transparency. His posts aren't the problem — the problems are the unrelenting, unlawful rulings issued by lower court judges pushing their own policy agenda who are clearly triggered by President Trump's agenda." White House spokeswoman Abigail Jackson said. "President Trump will not waver when implementing the America First initiatives he was elected on." she added.