The Judiciarys Role

President Trump’s latest adversary is the judicial branch.Yesterday, Trump called for the impeachment of a judge who had ruled against him, earning a rare rebuke from the chief justice of the Supreme Court.The administration had ignored the judge’s order to stop deportations over the weekend, saying the government would heed only his written command, not a spoken one.It was hardly the first sign of trouble.

Trump’s lawyers have peddled distortions and lies in court, as my colleague Charlie Savage explained.They’ve also said a judge can’t meddle in Trump’s work protecting the United States from threats.

His aides have suggested that the president can ignore rulings.All three branches of government are, in theory, equal; Congress passes laws, presidents enforce them and judges interpret them.That’s the norm, anyway.

Historically, presidents almost always respect what the courts say, even if they disagree.They obey judges.

Their representatives don’t lie in court or claim exemption from judicial oversight.But the United States may soon find out what happens when those norms no longer hold.Trump and his lawyers are challenging the balance of power among the branches of government.

Experts worry this is the beginning of a constitutional crisis.Is it? Today’s newsletter looks at the signs of peril — and the signs that America’s constitutional order is holding up for now.The dangersJudicial review is the concept that judges can strike down laws if they violate the Constitution.The notion came from the Supreme Court’s 1803 decision in Marbury v.

Madison, and it made the court a backstop to the excesses of Congress or the presidency.We are having trouble retrieving the article content.Please enable JavaScript in your browser settings.Thank you for your patience while we verify access.If you are in Reader mode please exit and log into your Times account, or subscribe for all of The Times.Thank you for your patience while we verify access.Alr...