Trump DOJ official told staff they could tell judges to go fuck themselves in defiance order

Emil Bove is a former criminal defense lawyer for President Donald J. Trump and is nominated for a lifetime appointment to a federal appeals court; his confirmation hearing was held on Jun. 25, 2025.

Erez Reuveni was fired from his career position at DOJ after raising legal concerns about ignoring court orders, despite civil service protections meant to shield career attorneys from political retaliation.

If executive branch officials ignore judicial orders blocking deportations, it raises a separation-of-powers issue by undermining the courts’ constitutional role to review and check executive actions.