Trump files 20 Supreme Court emergency applications in just 23 weeks

The Supreme Court recently wrapped up its term, but that doesn’t mean the justices are taking a break just yet. President Donald Trump has been strategically deploying a legal blitz in his second term, and it has proven to be surprisingly effective in advancing his agenda.

In just a 23-week period, lawyers for the Trump administration have filed an astonishing 20 emergency applications to the Supreme Court. This rapid pace of filings is part of the administration’s efforts to move forward with some of Trump’s most significant policy actions. And, more often than not, the court’s 6-3 majority has given the administration the green light to proceed.

The Supreme Court has ruled in Trump’s favor in the majority of these emergency applications, allowing the administration to move forward with actions such as the ban on transgender service members in the military, termination of Education Department grants, and firing of probationary employees across the federal government, among other policies.

The rulings on these emergency applications are often unsigned, leaving little indication of the justices’ thoughts on the matter. Emergency orders are not meant to provide lasting relief, but Trump has been successful in using a “move fast and break things” strategy to push through key requests on the court’s “shadow” docket.

To put this into perspective, Trump has filed more emergency applications in five months than his predecessors did in years. Former President Joe Biden submitted only 19 over his entire term, while Presidents Obama and George W. Bush filed just eight combined during their time in office.

This strategy has allowed Trump to enforce many of the executive orders he signed upon taking office, despite facing numerous lawsuits across the country and being blocked by lower courts. By appealing these decisions through the federal judiciary, the administration has been able to secure near-term wins and advance major policy priorities without relying on Congress.

For now, these victories have energized Trump allies and allowed them to push forward with a blitz of executive actions. This approach has proven to be a successful tactic for advancing Trump’s agenda in his second term. Breanne Deppisch, a national politics reporter for Fox News Digital, covers the Trump administration, with a focus on the Justice Department, FBI, and other national news.