Following the latest dramatic twist in the ordeal surrounding Trump's Immigration Executive Order, when on Friday night Seattle Federal Judge Robart (appointed by George W. Bush in 2003) blocked Trump's travel ban from seven Muslim countries, the White House promptly responded by stating that it intends to file an emergency stay of this "outrageous order and defend the executive order of the President, which we believe is lawful and appropriate."
Earlier, on Friday night, Washington Attorney General Bob Ferguson disagreed when he greeted Robart's ruling saying “It is not the loudest voice that prevails on the Constitution,” and added "we are a nation of laws, not even the president can violate the Constitution. It's our president's duty to honor this ruling and I'll make sure he does."
And so, with Trump's Executive Order now a constitutional matter and almost certainly headed to the Supreme Court, where the judicial opinion of Trump's recent appointment Neil Gorsuch will soon be tested, on Saturday morning Trump wasted no time to attack "the opinion of so-called Judge" Robart, which Trump said "essentially takes law-enforcement away from our country" and warned the ruling "is ridiculous and will be overturned!"
He prefaced this warning for a showdown by saying that "when a country is no longer able to say who can, and who cannot , come in & out, especially for reasons of safety &.security - big trouble!" and defending his decision by invoking other Middle-eastern nations who allegedly "agree with the ban" (using a word which Sean Spicer would have preferred he did not as he will be brutalized by the press corps for it on Monday).
When a country is no longer able to say who can, and who cannot , come in & out, especially for reasons of safety &.security - big trouble!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) February 4, 2017
Interesting that certain Middle-Eastern countries agree with the ban. They know if certain people are allowed in it's death & destruction!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) February 4, 2017
The opinion of this so-called judge, which essentially takes law-enforcement away from our country, is ridiculous and will be overturned!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) February 4, 2017
As expected, Trump himself was immediately attacked on social media for his "so-called" hint he disagrees with the separation of powers as per article III, section 1 of the Constitution which, as a reminder, reads: "Judicial power of the US shall be vested in the Courts." Others have asked, rhetorically, what would happen if the situation was reversed:
Imagine if a federal judge called Trump the "so-called president"? pic.twitter.com/IWCJYZC0oZ
— Ryan Lizza (@RyanLizza) February 4, 2017
POTUS's attack on Judge Robart shows a disdain for an ind. judiciary that doesn't bend to his wishes & lack of respect for the Constitution.
— Chuck Schumer (@SenSchumer) February 4, 2017
If Trump can call Robart a "so-called" judge, can we call him -- with infinitely better justification -- a "so-called" president?
— Paul Krugman (@paulkrugman) February 4, 2017
Trump has lashed out at judges he disagreed with in the past as well: during last year’s presidential campaign, Trump slammed the “Mexican heritage” of Indiana-born Judge Gonzalo Curiel as a reason he should recuse himself from lawsuits regarding Trump University, a legal matter which he eventually ended up settling.
So get ready for the dramatic showdown, as the fate of Trump's executive order is soon set to play out inside the Supreme Court of the United States.