Bench Exclamations Signal Judicial Pushback Against Executive Overreach

Federal judges are pushing back against executive overreach. Judge Richard J. Leon issued a lengthy, exclamation-filled 29-page ruling blocking Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth’s attempt to censure Sen. Mark Kelly for defending military personnel’s duty to refuse unconstitutional orders, underscoring First Amendment protections for legislators and retirees. In a separate case, Judge James Boasberg criticized the administration for defying court orders and insisted on facilitating the return of Venezuelans and allowing challenges to their deportations, reflecting ongoing lower-court resistance to executive non-compliance.