DOGE chair Elon Musk is calling on the GOP-controlled Congress to draft a “wave of impeachments” for federal judges after a court in D.C. ordered the Trump administration to restore federal health datasets that were taken offline.
“There needs to be an immediate wave of judicial impeachments, not just one,” Musk said on his X platform in response to a claim of a conflict of interest involving U.S. District Judge John Bates, a George W. Bush appointee.
Bates’ ruling followed an executive order issued by President Trump which banned the promotion of “gender ideology” by the government. Bates ruled in favor of Doctors for America (DFA)—a progressive physicians’ advocacy group that argued the removal violated federal law.
In a separate matter, Musk called for the impeachment of another federal judge after a ruling temporarily blocked his Department of Government Efficiency’s (DOGE) access to Treasury Department data.
Trump has maintained that he will comply with court orders that restrict parts of his agenda, though on Wednesday morning he questioned the recent rulings that have stalled some of his administration’s initiatives.
“DOGE has found massive amounts of FRAUD, WASTE, INCOMPETENCE, AND ABUSE, but even knowing this, a highly political, activist Judge wants us to immediately make payment, anyway. In other words pay, even though you know the payment was fraudulently requested to be made. DOGE caught them – The Judge just doesn’t care. It doesn’t make sense!!!” the president wrote on his Truth Social platform.
It’s likely that the Trump administration will appeal the rulings, and in some cases – such as his order banning birthright citizenship – the president has sought federal court challenges and eventual Supreme Court rulings to settle certain issues once and for all.
Meanwhile, a Republican congressman said this week that he has drafted articles of impeachment against a federal judge who barred DOGE from accessing Treasury Department payment systems, Newsweek reported.
Arizona Representative Eli Crane stated on X (formerly Twitter) that Manhattan-based U.S. District Judge Paul A. Engelmayer was “attempting to stop White House employees from accessing the very systems they oversee.”
He issued a preliminary injunction that prevents DOGE—a group that isn’t an official government department—from accessing Treasury Department records containing the personal financial data of millions of Americans. The order also requires DOGE to destroy any such records it acquired since January 20, according to Newsweek.
In his ruling, Engelmayer cautioned that the sudden policy change could lead to the leaking of personal information or compromise Treasury systems through hacking. He also noted that state legal proceedings regarding access to Treasury data would likely determine that DOGE’s demands lack proper legal justification.
Trump is receiving pushback from elsewhere throughout the federal government.
Federal Election Commission Chairwoman Ellen Weintraub is refusing to leave her post after she received a letter from Trump last week informing her that she was being terminated.
Weintraub took to social media to share the letter and claims she is not leaving her position because the notice is not legal.
“Received a letter from POTUS today purporting to remove me as Commissioner & Chair of @FEC,” Weintraub said in a post on X. “There’s a legal way to replace FEC commissioners-this isn’t it. I’ve been lucky to serve the American people & stir up some good trouble along the way. That’s not changing anytime soon.”
Weintraub showed the letter in her social media post. “You are hereby removed as a Member of the Federal Election Commission, effective immediately,” the White House letter dated Jan. 31 says. “Thank you for your service on the Commission.”
Weintraub is one of three Democrats on the FEC along with two Republicans. There is one vacant seat.
