'Stunning account': Whistleblower reveals Trump DOJ plans to defy federal court orders

24 June

U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi speaks to the press, outside the West Wing of the White House, in Washington, D.C., U.S., June 11, 2025. REUTERS/Kent Nishimura

The Trump Administration and President Donald Trump's critics are having intense debates over his immigration policies and the federal courts. While Trump and his allies are accusing federal courts of exceeding their authority by blocking his immigration and deportation orders, critics are responding that the federal courts are doing exactly what they are supposed to do by playing a key role in the United States' system of checks and balances.

Now, the New York Times and CNN are reporting that according to a whistleblower, Erez Reuveni, Trump appointees at the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) are planning to defy federal court orders on his immigration/deportation policy. Reuveni is a former DOJ lawyer who was fired, and Reuveni spoke out in a letter to members of Congress that CNN has obtained a copy of.

In an article published on Tuesday morning, June 24, CNN journalists Annie Grayer and Katelyn Polantz report, "The letter, which was sent to members of Congress and independent investigators within the executive branch on Tuesday, is likely to prompt greater scrutiny of Emil Bove, who has been serving as the principal associate deputy attorney general. Bove faces a Senate committee hearing on his nomination to the 3rd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals on Wednesday. The whistleblower, Erez Reuveni, who worked on the case of the mistakenly deported immigrant Kilmar Abrego Garcia, says Bove, in a March meeting, 'stated that DOJ would need to consider telling the courts f--- you' and ignore any orders to stop the hasty deportation of migrants to a prison in El Salvador."

The New York Times' Devlin Barrett reports that Bove "told subordinates he was willing to ignore court orders to fulfill the president's aggressive deportation campaign."

Reporting from the Times and CNN is generating a lot of discussion on X, formerly Twitter.

Deputy U.S. Attorney General Todd Blanche, a longtime Trump ally, is claiming that the Times' reporting is inaccurate.

Blanche tweeted, "The New York Times article describes falsehoods purportedly made by a disgruntled former employee and then leaked to the press in violation of ethical obligations. The claims about Department of Justice leadership and the Principal Associate Deputy Attorney General are utterly false which is likely why the author gave the Department of Justice 15 minutes this morning to respond (they wrote that we did not 'immediately respond with a comment') before releasing this garbage."

But other X users are having much different reactions.

Former trial attorney John Jackson, an ex-Republican, tweeted, "Stunning whistleblower account of DOJ attorneys intentionally violating court orders and lying to federal judges. We knew this was likely happening but here it is in detail."

Attorney Howard Bachman posted, "Justice Dept. Leader Suggested Violating Court Orders, Whistle-Blower Says; Emil Bove III, a Trump judicial nominee, voiced his intent to disobey court orders as others stonewalled and misled judges, according to a complaint."

Greg Nunziata, executive director of the Society for the Rule of Law, commented, "More evidence in support of an already overwhelming case: the Senate should reject Mr. Bove's nomination to the judiciary. Justice Dept. Leader Suggested Violating Court Orders, Whistle-Blower Says."

X user A. Rose wrote, "Well this is very scary. No guard rails in place. DOJ will no longer uphold the (law) or constitution. Justice Dept. Leader Suggested Violating Court Orders, Whistle-Blower Says."

Read CNN's full article at this link and the New York Times' reporting here (subscription required).

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