Washington State’s Attorney General Bob Ferguson once joked about the Trump administration’s many legal missteps when making policy during his first term in office, asking his team, “Do you guys think a lawyer looked at this?”
As President-elect Donald Trump gears up for another term, Ferguson isn’t laughing anymore, and neither are Democratic officials in blue states, according to a New York Times report.
There is a growing sense of apprehension among Democratic leaders related to their ability to challenge Trump’s policies this time around. Unlike his first administration, where procedural missteps made it easier for Democrats to successfully challenge his order, Trump appears better prepared.
“A concern I have is that Donald Trump and his administration may well be better prepared on their end,” Ferguson told The New York Times.
The report noted that the incoming Trump administration “carries newfound might that Mr. Trump did not have eight years ago,” a fact that Democrats appear to recognize.
“I think we are prepared for it to be much more aggressive, much quicker and much harder,” said William Tong, Connecticut’s attorney general.
Mr. Trump has built a cadre of advisers who have spent years planning ways to implement their plans for the country. The new administration also stands to benefit from a court system now tilted more in Mr. Trump’s favor.
The report notes that the president-elect is “preparing to install some of his most loyal followers in key positions, including the office of attorney general, which is responsible for defending government policies and prosecuting those who fail to follow them.”
The Supreme Court’s conservative majority, along with Republicans controlling both chambers of Congress, will present a more formidable governing apparatus when it comes to advancing Trump’s agenda.
Nevertheless, Democratic states are preparing to put up a fight. Leaders in blue states are coordinating strategies and mobilizing legal teams dedicated to countering the president-elect’s agenda. The key focuses are expected to be immigration, environmental regulations, and states’ rights.
“We don’t know exactly what’s coming and how it’s going to come, so we just need to be ready,” said Ellen Rosenblum, Oregon’s attorney general.
In fact, Democratic attorneys general have begun meeting each week to strategize. They have been focusing on the details of Project 2025, a conservative policy plan that Democrats desperately tried to use against the president-elect to persuade voters to vote against him.
This report follows others indicating that Democratic lawmakers have already been formulating their “resistance” to the incoming Trump administration despite not controlling either chamber of Congress.
House Democrats are brainstorming ways they can hamper Trump’s efforts while protecting President Joe Biden’s policies, according to an Axios report. House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY) is spearheading the movement and looking at defensive strategies in anticipation of Republicans controlling the White House and both chambers of Congress.
“We as Democrats have to roll up our sleeves and get into defense and protection mode,” Rep. Delia Ramirez (D-IL) told Axios.
The effort involves mobilizing several caucuses, including the Progressive, Black, Hispanic, Asian Pacific American, and Equality caucuses. This coalition is aimed at identifying potential executive orders President Biden could issue to safeguard current policies that are ostensibly intended to protect marginalized communities.
Congressional Progressive Caucus Chair Pramila Jayapal (D-WA) explained that “A lot of things can be undone, but it can take longer to undo them and it will force a priority from them on what they want to focus on.”
Rep. Emanuel Cleaver (D-MO) told Axios that “There are conversations that are taking place where people are trying to figure out if there are some steps that can reduce the damage.”
Since they do not have power in the legislature, Democrats will focus on messaging to influence public perception against the incoming Trump administration. Still, with Republicans controlling Congress and the White House, and with conservative judges sitting on the Supreme Court and other important positions, it is clear that the president-elect will have an easier time pushing his agenda through – at least for the next two years.
