Trump vs. ____
Universities, states, law firms: take your pick.
Good morning! It’s Wednesday, April 16, 2025. Election Day 2026 is 566 days away. No top story today, but I want to catch you up on a developments in a few different areas I’ve been tracking…
Kilmar Abrego Garcia
In yesterday’s newsletter, I wrote that we were in wait-and-see mode in the case of Kilmar Abrego Garcia, the unauthorized immigrant who was mistakenly deported to El Salvador, but that a test of the Trump administration’s compliance with the courts could be a few days away.
Make that a few weeks away.
At a hearing in the case on Tuesday, U.S. District Judge Paula Xinis expressed concern that the Trump administration had yet to take steps to facilitate Abrego Garcia’s return, despite the Supreme Court upholding her order for them to do so. “To date, nothing has been done,” Xinis said. “Nothing.”
In response, the judge announced that the case would move into a two-week discovery period, in order for her to ascertain whether the administration was complying with her order and — if not — whether contempt proceedings would be appropriate.
During the discovery, Abrego Garcia’s lawyers will be able to hold depositions of administration officials to question them on what (if anything) they’ve been doing to bring about their client’s return. “We’re going to move,” Xinis said. “There will be no tolerance for gamesmanship or grandstanding.”
Meanwhile: Sen. Chris Van Hollen (D-MD) is set to travel to El Salvador today as part of an attempt to demand Abrego Garcia’s release.
Trump versus…
The states: California became the first state to sue President Trump over his sweeping tariffs this morning, alleging in a lawsuit that the duties were an unconstitutional use of the International Emergency Economic Powers Act that will hurt the state’s economy.
Meanwhile, the Justice Department announced this morning that it is suing Maine over a state law that allows transgender athletes to play on girls’ and women’s sports teams. Prosecutors said the law violates the federal Title IX statute, in the latest escalation between the Trump administration and the Pine Tree State.
The universities: After freezing $2.2 billion in federal funds to Harvard in response to the school’s refusal to comply with certain policy demands, Trump suggested Tuesday that he was considering revoking Harvard’s tax-exempt status.
The firms: Trump’s campaign against prominent law firms has been piling up losses in courts: of the four firms that have opted to challenge the administration in court — rather than striking a deal — all four have succeeded in securing temporary blocks on executive orders targeting their business. The latest was Susman Godfrey, which received a temporary restraining order on Tuesday to block most of Trump’s order against the firm.
The wires: Last week, a judge ruled that the Associated Press could not be “treated worse than its peer wire services” in being denied White House access due to its continued use of the name “Gulf of Mexico.” The White House debuted a solution for that problem on Tuesday: now, none of the wire services will receive a dedicated spot in the rotating group of “pool” reporters who cover the president. Going forward, print outlets will be given two slots in the pool, the White House said, which wire services will be able to apply for along with other print reporters.
Inside the White House
Last month, when the New York Times reported that Elon Musk would receive a briefing at the Pentagon about the military’s plans for a potential war with China, Trump called it “Fake News.”
But, according to Axios, the report was true — and the only reason Musk didn’t end up receiving the briefing is because Trump kiboshed it behind the scenes. “What the f**k is Elon doing there? Make sure he doesn’t go,” Trump told his aides, a top official recalled to Axios.
“POTUS still very much loves Elon, but there are some red lines,” the official said. “Elon has a lot of business in China and he has good relations there, and this briefing just wasn’t the right thing.”
It’s the latest sign of a small, but notable, crack in the Trump-Musk relationship, which no longer seems as strong as it was at the beginning of the administration.
Related: Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth suspended his deputy chief of staff and a senior adviser on Tuesday, reportedly as part of an investigation into the leak of Musk’s Pentagon visit and other disclosures.
More news to know
Politico: White House to send Congress a formal request to nix $9.3B for PBS, NPR, State Department
NYT: A Top Democratic Official Plots to Take Down Party Incumbents
CNN: Trump to name Hunter Biden whistleblower as acting IRS commissioner, sources say
WaPo: Biden, breaking his silence, slams Trump on Social Security cuts
CBS: 2 service members deployed to U.S. southern border dead in vehicle accident, another hurt
The day ahead
President Trump will participate in an Easter prayer service and dinner at the White House.
The House and Senate are on recess.
The Supreme Court has nothing on its schedule.
We are watching the resolute transactional agenda the Trump administration continues to pursue. We have cowards in congress who don’t seem to mind that Trump wants to dictate what private universities teach. At the same time he is undermining the core philosophies of our best institutions using flagrant intimidation. He has threatened prestigious law firms who are caving to his bidding. It is truly shameful and unacceptable and yet he continues without anyone courageously calling out his authoritarian policies. He wants to transfer US citizens to foreign countries without due process and hold them captive in indecent conditions. He threatens judges, governors and Judges like Alito and Thomas would give him a pass with each and every opportunity !
I am not afraid to call Musk a nazi or at the least a sympathizer . Lay out the description and you will see it .
I wake each morning sick to my stomach and so glad my father who was a first lieutenant pilot instructor in the Air Force, who contracted malaria in New Guinea and his brother, a Lieutenant Colonel who received the Distinguished Service Cross among other awards for bravery from Patton himself, are not alive to see this absolute mockery of our democracy.
We are inching ever so closer and closer to this reality https://thistleandmoss.com/p/trumps-third-term-a-fucking-figment