President Donald Trump ran into two major legal problems on the same day after two different judges ruled against his administration on separate issues involving elections and social services.
On Friday, one federal judge blocked the Trump administration from threatening states with the loss of federal election funding. At the same time, another judge in New York temporarily stopped the administration from freezing about $10 billion in federal money meant for childcare and other social services in five Democratic-led states. The White House was contacted for comment, but there was no immediate response outside normal working hours.
These decisions were a serious setback for the administration because they stopped two key actions Trump had been pushing. In the first case, the judge said the president was trying to pressure states in a way that goes against the Constitution. The ruling made clear that a president does not have the power to control how states run their elections or to threaten them financially if they do not comply.
The second ruling was tied to growing protests and public anger over Trump’s decision to pause social service funding. The administration claimed the funding freeze was necessary because of alleged fraud in Minnesota’s welfare programs. Trump has repeatedly pointed to investigations in Minnesota, especially involving the Somali-American community, to justify tough immigration actions. These actions have sparked protests, including one in Minneapolis where an unarmed protester was shot and killed by an ICE agent, further inflaming tensions.
In the elections case, the judge blocked most of Trump’s executive order that targeted states using vote-by-mail systems, including Washington and Oregon. The order required voters to show documents proving citizenship when registering and demanded that all mail-in ballots be received by Election Day. States that allow ballots postmarked by Election Day to arrive later warned that this could stop many eligible voters from having their votes counted. The judge agreed, saying Trump had overstepped his authority and could not change election rules or attach new conditions to federal funds on his own. He also said the president cannot override decisions already made by Congress.
State officials welcomed the ruling, calling it a major win for voters and the rule of law. Meanwhile, the White House said the fight is not over and insisted the administration believes it will eventually win on the issue, arguing that Trump’s actions are meant to protect election integrity.
In the second case, the New York judge stopped the administration from freezing funding for childcare and social programs in New York, California, Minnesota, Illinois, and Colorado. These states had gone to court, warning that cutting off the money would hurt families, especially those with young children who rely on these services. Although the administration blamed alleged fraud in Minnesota, it did not provide evidence that similar problems existed in the other states.
The judge ordered the government to release funds for several programs while the legal challenge continues. State officials said the decision was a crucial victory for families who were facing sudden uncertainty because of the funding freeze, accusing the administration of acting harshly and without proper justification.
Legal experts say these rulings add to a growing list of court decisions pushing back against Trump’s use of executive power. There have now been multiple rulings against his election-related executive order, and the administration is already appealing earlier decisions. The latest rulings are also expected to be challenged, meaning the legal battles are far from over.
For now, both decisions temporarily block Trump’s plans and keep existing systems in place, but the situation remains tense as the courts, the administration, and the states prepare for more legal fights in the weeks and months ahead.
