Conservative political analyst Daniel Horowitz wrote about President Trump’s “big beautiful bill” on X, and asked: “If the GOP can put measures in the BBB that aren’t budget related but pre-empt states from passing regulation on AI, and allowing land grabs for carbon capture pipelines, why can’t the GOP just pass a federal pre-emption on state gun laws that contradict Heller, McDonald, Bruen, etc, and any sort of ban on guns or gun accessories that are not already prohibited by federal law?”
Republican Governor Ron DeSantis responded: “And add provisions stripping courts of jurisdiction over issues like immigration so district judges can’t constantly throw sand in the gears of the Trump deportation efforts. This would also make the additional funds for interior enforcement and border security far more effective.”
And add provisions stripping courts of jurisdiction over issues like immigration so district judges can’t constantly throw sand in the gears of the Trump deportation efforts.
— Ron DeSantis (@RonDeSantis) June 4, 2025
This would also make the additional funds for interior enforcement and border security far more… https://t.co/hvyQZDwfAj
When the X account “Wyle E. Coyote, Super Genius” replied to DeSantis: “Congress cannot strip the Judicial branch of their Constitutional authority, [expletive],” the political satire account “Mike Holt” chimed in and wrote: “I’ve also read that since the House of Representatives control the purse strings, they can defund the employees and infrastructure of these activist judges. In my opinion, Mike Johnson should have already started those proceedings. Shot across the bow.”
The only constitutionally-required court is the Supreme Court. Congress has the authority to establish — and to abolish — courts at the district and appellate level.
— Ron DeSantis (@RonDeSantis) June 4, 2025
If Congress wanted to abolish the federal district court in DC, for example, it has the authority to do so. https://t.co/EhDQ7cHQdu
DeSantis continued the thread and replied to Mike Holt: “The only constitutionally-required court is the Supreme Court. Congress has the authority to establish — and to abolish — courts at the district and appellate level. If Congress wanted to abolish the federal district court in DC, for example, it has the authority to do so.”
Sign me up
— Nancy Mace (@NancyMace) June 4, 2025
One member of Congress, Representative Nancy Mace (R-SC), replied to DeSantis: “Sign me up.” More than one MAGA supporter replied to DeSantis with pessimism. As one replied: “Congress won’t eliminate the corrupt district courts because Congress is corrupt!”
[NOTE: DeSantis’s suggestion to abolish federal courts, and his reminder that the Constitution mandates only the Supreme Court, echoes the MAGA M.O. to eliminate government — especially federal government — wherever possible. But as in the cases where fired federal workers have needed to be hired back, the “destroy government” manifesto neglects the reality that government performs necessary services. In the case of the judiciary, U.S. federal district courts hear more than 500,000 cases a year, while in 2024 “filings in the 12 regional courts of appeals fell 3 percent to 39,469” according to UScourts.gov.
The Supreme Court is also “taking up far fewer cases overall, leaving state and lower federal courts as the de facto final word on a host of federal legal questions,” according to Georgetown law professor Steve Vladek, who reports that “for the last five years, the Court has issued fewer than 60 signed opinions per year in argued cases.”]
