5 takeaways from the Supreme Court as the term comes to a close

Key Points:

• The Supreme Court’s 2025-2026 term, the first full term under Donald Trump’s second presidency, saw significant expansion of presidential power, notably in Trump v. Slaughter, where the court ruled 6-3 that the president can fire independent agency heads at will, overturning a 91-year-old precedent.
• Despite broadening executive authority, the court maintained some checks and balances, upholding birthright citizenship against Trump’s executive order and striking down his emergency tariffs as unconstitutional taxes imposed without Congress’s approval.
• The court’s reliance on the Purcell principle to avoid last-minute election rule changes appears to be weakening, as seen in the April ruling in Louisiana v. Callais that struck down a congressional map weeks before a primary, sparking widespread redistricting and lawsuits.
• On federalism, the court upheld state laws banning transgender athletes from girls’ and women’s sports and allowed grace periods for mail-in ballots, while striking down a Colorado ban on conversion therapy for minors due to First Amendment concerns.
• Dissents grew notably vocal and public this term, with Justices Ketanji Brown Jackson and Sonia Sotomayor delivering lengthy, pointed dissents and engaging in rare public criticisms, signaling increased tensions and a shift in court decorum.