How Trump took over America's courts

How Trump and McConnell are changing the country for a generation.

President Donald Trump is building his longest-lasting legacy in a place that’s often overlooked: the federal courts. It’s not just the Supreme Court that’s important — it hears less than 100 cases a year — his impact is being seen in places like the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals.

This court has stopped many of Trump’s most controversial executive orders: the travel ban, emergency funding for a border wall. But this historically liberal court won’t look very liberal at the end of Trump’s first term.

And more about the roles of America’s federal court system:

Note: The headline for this video has been updated since publishing.
Previous headline: The GOP's historic takeover of America's courts

[issaosama]

Why are judges appointed by political parties???? Should be an indipendent panel that promotes good judges and not partisan judges.

[ryann]

I feel like they need to release a patch for the US government. It's not working.

[alessandro.calzavara]

So, in the end, no separation of the three branches, great job USA

[ymi_yugy]

That's the problem with unwritten rules. They are impossible to enforce.

[Zeratul]

Only In America where judges are appointed for life

[cancerino]

Judges should not be appointed for life. They should have a term, like other powerful positions.

[Bhargos]

It's amazing how broken the american system is at every level.

[abeltamara]

I still can't understand, how can judges being appointed by a party, that's just wrong.

[spoons]

The senate has a disgusting amount of power when the party doesn't act in good faith.

[MyTeenLifeLoLTV]

I like the fact that you color code Trump with orange color😆

[hp]

Who's here after Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg died?

[Vinxian]

Political appointment of judges is the root of the problem

[meyou-qurz]

I love how the judges trump appointed are in orange just like the man himself

[CuriosityCulture]

Vox’s makes these scary realities so simple to understand with their super smooth animations.

[Carterthehero]

How does Mitch McConnell live so long without a spine?

[erden]

This is what happens when traditions aren’t law

[joewhite]

"Elections have consequences "
"
-Barry Obama

[KiwiRanger]

Love that Trump gets an orange line on the graph & orange squares!
Seriously though, thanks for highlighting what's going on.

[thememer]

Please do an updated version of this as many new judges have been appointed by Trump on all types of courts. Would be very interesting to see how the courts have changed under 4 years of Trump

[lostbutfreesoul]

The scary part:

This gets normalized, it isn't going to stop when Trump leaves office.