Trump administration asks Supreme Court to limit federal court agency rulings

The Trump administration asked the Supreme Court on October 15, 2026, to weigh in on whether federal courts have the authority to throw out a federal agency action or rule completely. SCOTUSblog reported that United States Solicitor General D. John Sauer filed a 29-page document requesting that the justices establish limits on the power of federal courts. [1]

In the court filing, Solicitor General Sauer argued that nothing in the text, context, or history of the federal law governing administrative agencies gives courts that far-reaching remedial power. SCOTUSblog reported that the legal question arose from combined legal challenges regarding rules originally issued by the Department of Health and Human Services and the Department of Labor. [1]

Donald Trump took office as the 47th president of the United States on January 20, 2025, after winning the 2024 presidential election against Democratic nominee Kamala Harris. Trump previously served as the 45th president from 2017 to 2021 before losing the 2020 election to Joe Biden. [2]

Trump is the second former president in United States history to return to office for a second tenure. Along with the presidency, the Republican Party holds simple majorities in both the House of Representatives and the Senate. [2]