Trump administration First Amendment rulings

Thomson Reuters — Reuters identified 75 federal-judge rulings during Donald Trump's second term that found his administration infringed on First Amendment rights, including speech, religion, and press. The rulings, among 93 cases addressing First Amendment arguments, marked an unprecedented judicial pushback. Judges found the administration chilled speech of opponents, terminated grants to universities like Harvard, retaliated against law firms, and used excessive force at protests. The administration appealed about two-thirds of the rulings, winning relief in 15, including overturning rulings that had released pro-Palestinian activists Mahmoud Khalil and Mohsen Mahdawi. The 9th Circuit overturned a ruling blocking union bargaining restrictions, but also upheld a finding that terminating University of California grants constituted viewpoint discrimination. Critics, including legal scholars, compared the administration's actions to the First Red Scare under Woodrow Wilson. The administration defended its actions, calling judges 'activists'.