Trump Rails Against Courts for Blocking Deportation Push, Doubles Down on Trade and Fed Chair

President Donald Trump took a swing at the courts Tuesday evening, accusing them of throwing a wrench into his plans to deport what he called "some very bad people," including "killers, murderers, drug dealers."

Trump, speaking from the White House, praised his administration's efforts to "shut down the border" and reduce illegal immigration, boasting, "Honestly, it's one of the great successes; we have virtually nobody coming in illegally." That's a bold claim, considering the legal battles still raging in courtrooms across the country.

But Trump wasn't so cheerful about judges who have ruled against his deportation initiatives. "I hope we get cooperation from the courts, because, you know, we have thousands of people that are ready to go out, and you can't have a trial for all of these people," he said, implying the immigration system was never designed for this scale of legal process.

Since returning to the Oval Office in January, the administration has faced a barrage of lawsuits targeting executive actions, with some resulting in nationwide injunctions that have halted Trump's policies in their tracks. The Supreme Court is set to weigh in soon on whether federal judges can block executive orders nationwide, especially in a high-profile case about ending birthright citizenship for children of illegal immigrants.

On top of that, a recent ruling by U.S. District Judge James Boasberg temporarily blocked the administration's plan to use the Alien Enemies Act for deporting criminal gang members to El Salvador. Trump sounded the alarm, warning that court slowdowns could make the country "very dangerous."

Trump further claimed that under previous policies, "hundreds of thousands of people a month" were entering the U.S. from foreign prisons and institutions, not just from South America but "all over the world." He insisted, "I won an election based on the fact that we get them out," and complained that judges demanding trials for each person could leave the nation at risk for years.

Switching gears, Trump also addressed the ongoing U.S.-China trade war, asserting that it's up to China to make a deal. "Ultimately, they have to make a deal because otherwise they're not going to be able to deal in the United States," he said. Trump predicted any new tariffs would be lower than the current 145 percent, but "it won't be zero." He quipped that China had been "taking us for a ride" for years but that those days are over. Still, he sounded optimistic about future cooperation, adding, "I think they're going to be happy and I think we're going to live together very happily and ideally work together." The world could probably use a little more of that energy, honestly.

As for the Federal Reserve, Trump addressed swirling rumors he plans to fire Jerome Powell, the Fed chair, saying, "None whatsoever. Never did." He did, however, express a wish for Powell to be "a little more active" in lowering interest rates, calling it "a perfect time" for such a move. But he clarified, "If he doesn't, is it the end? No, it's not, but it would be good timing." So Powell's job seems safe—at least for now.