Here is an excerpt based on “The Legacy of Trump’s Judiciary on Civil Rights: A Libertarian Analysis”:

As the Trump administration came to a close, many wondered what lasting impact its judicial appointments would have on the nation’s civil rights landscape. From a libertarian perspective, one of the primary concerns was the potential for increased politicization of the courts. Critics argued that by packing the Supreme Court and lower federal courts with judges who shared his ideological views, Trump was undermining the independence of the judiciary and creating a system in which the branches of government were no longer checks and balances, but rather instruments of the executive’s will.

This concern is warranted. The Founding Fathers envisioned a system in which power was distributed among three branches, with each responsible for checking and balancing the others. As Thomas Jefferson noted, “The Constitution is a clean piece of paper, unless, like the other pieces of tapestry, it is strengthened by the sanctions of the great national fortress.” By appointing judges who were more likely to side with his policies, Trump was effectively eroding the firewall between the legislative and executive branches, giving the president unchecked power to shape the law. This is a concerning development, as it undermines the framework of the Constitution and could lead to a concentration of power that is detrimental to individual liberty.

The implications for civil rights and personal freedom were also significant. Many of Trump’s appointees were known for their conservative, originalist approach to constitutional interpretation. While this approach can be beneficial in certain contexts, it can also lead to a neglect of the living Constitution, which is a document meant to evolve and adapt to changing circumstances. From a libertarian perspective, the most concerning aspect of Trump’s judiciary was its potential to curtail the progress made by the civil rights movement.