Citing ‘anti-democratic takeover’ by ‘activist’ plaintiffs, Trump seeks money bond for injunction requests

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Citing ‘anti-democratic takeover’ by ‘activist’ plaintiffs, Trump seeks cash bond for injunction requests

By Debra Cassens Weiss

March 13, 2025, 3:38 pm CDT

President Donald Trump is directing federal businesses to hunt a cash bond when plaintiffs file federal lawsuits in opposition to the administration that search non permanent restraining orders or preliminary injunctions.

“In latest weeks,” Trump mentioned in a March 11 memo, “activist organizations fueled by a whole bunch of thousands and thousands of {dollars} in donations and generally even authorities grants have obtained sweeping injunctions” that meddle in govt policymaking.

“This anti-democratic takeover is orchestrated by forum-shopping organizations that repeatedly deliver meritless fits, used for fundraising and political grandstanding, with none repercussions after they fail,” the memo mentioned.

To discourage frivolous litigation, Trump mentioned, events in search of injunctions in opposition to the federal authorities ought to be required below Rule 65(c) of the Federal Guidelines of Civil Process to publish safety that will cowl potential prices and damages from a wrongly issued injunction.

A White Home truth sheet mentioned injunctions “can price taxpayers thousands and thousands and even billions of {dollars}, particularly after they mandate continued funding.”

A number of judges have denied bond requests, together with U.S. District Choose Adam B. Abelson of the District of Maryland, in response to Bloomberg Legislation and Legislation & Crime.

Courts have steadily waived bond necessities “the place a basic constitutional proper is at stake,” Abelson wrote.

U.S. District Choose Loren L. AliKhan of the District of Columbia additionally denied bond in a problem to a Trump administration funding freeze, in response to Bloomberg Legislation, Reuters and Legislation & Crime.

“In a case the place the federal government is alleged to have unlawfully withheld trillions of {dollars} of beforehand dedicated funds to numerous recipients, it will defy logic—and contravene the very foundation of this opinion—to carry plaintiffs hostage for the ensuing hurt,” AliKhan mentioned in granting a preliminary injunction to the plaintiffs.

U.S. District Choose Brendan A. Hurson of the District of Maryland additionally refused to require a bond in a problem to anti-LGBTQ govt orders, Legislation.com studies.

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