Why the Volume of Lawsuits Is Unusual

In the first year of President Donald Trump’s new term, he issued hundreds of executive actions and his administration implemented sweeping changes to the federal government.

Changes to federal grant funding, DEI policies, the federal workforce were all met with fierce resistance and legal challenges, totaling more than 350 lawsuits so far. Judges across the country are also mulling whether Trump’s attempt to change birthright citizenship and his deployment of ICE agents for mass deportations are legal.

The administration has spent a lot of time defending its policy actions in court. We get up to speed on their record over the past year.

How successful has the administration been in the courts? And what cases from 2025 remain up in the air?

Find more of our programs online. Listen to 1A sponsor-free by signing up for 1A+ at plus.npr.org/the1a. 

Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoices

NPR Privacy Policy