Hawley Slams Judicial Bias in Nationwide Injunctions Against Trump

Sarah Johnson
June 4, 2025
Brief
Sen. Josh Hawley clashes with UPenn professor over nationwide judicial injunctions, questioning bias and consistency in rulings against Trump and Biden.
In a fiery Senate Judiciary subcommittee hearing, Senator Josh Hawley, R-Mo., went toe-to-toe with University of Pennsylvania law professor Kate Shaw over the contentious issue of nationwide judicial injunctions against executive actions. Hawley presented compelling data showing a stark spike in these injunctions during President Donald Trump’s first term, only to see them plummet under President Joe Biden. Is this mere coincidence, or does it reveal a deeper bias in the judiciary?
Hawley pressed Shaw on this apparent discrepancy, questioning how such a pattern could be justified under any consistent legal principle. Shaw countered, suggesting that Trump’s actions may have been more legally questionable, thus warranting the surge in injunctions. But Hawley wasn’t buying it, pointing out that nationwide injunctions were virtually unheard of before the 1960s and accusing some judges of playing politics in robes when it suits their ideological leanings.
The debate grew heated as Hawley referenced Shaw’s past criticism of a nationwide injunction during Biden’s presidency on an abortion pill ruling, which she called a ‘travesty for the principles of democracy.’ Now, her defense of injunctions against Trump seemed to contradict her earlier stance. Hawley challenged her to articulate a clear, unbiased principle for when such sweeping judicial actions are acceptable, arguing that a legal system driven by political winds cannot stand.
This clash isn’t just about numbers or legal jargon—it’s about the heart of our democracy. When single district judges can halt national policies with the stroke of a pen, are they safeguarding the rule of law or merely pushing personal agendas? Hawley’s pointed critique raises a vital question: can our system survive if justice becomes a partisan game?
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Editor's Comments
Watching Hawley and Shaw spar over injunctions is like seeing two chefs argue over a recipe—except the dish is democracy, and one thinks it’s overseasoned with politics! Honestly, if nationwide injunctions are a tool, they seem to be wielded like a partisan sledgehammer. Why does the gavel fall harder when Trump’s in office? Maybe some judges have a ‘Trump card’ they just can’t resist playing.
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