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The Supreme Court on Monday vacated and remanded a judgment of the D.C. Circuit upholding Steve Bannon’s conviction for contempt of Congress, allowing the Department of Justice to move forward with its plan to dismiss the charges. (Order List.) (WSJ.) (WaPo.) For background on the Justice Department’s motion to abandon its criminal case against Bannon, see a previous Roundup.
President Trump said on Monday that a ceasefire proposal put forward by a Pakistan-led group of mediators between the United States and Iran was “not good enough.” Trump has threatened an attack on Iranian energy infrastructure if the Strait of Hormuz is not reopened by 8 p.m. Eastern time on Tuesday. (NYT.) For background on the threat, see a previous Roundup.
President Trump on Tuesday morning reiterated his Tuesday evening deadline for a deal with Iran, stating on Truth Social that without a deal “a whole civilization will die tonight, never to be brought back again.” (NYT.) (Truth Social.)
Politico reports that the Department of Defense is expanding a list of potential Iranian targets to include energy infrastructure used for both civilian and military purposes. (Politico.) Margaret Donovan and Rachel VanLandingham considered the “daunting legal and operational task” military commanders face in turning President Trump’s orders into a list of lawful targets. (Just Security.)
President Trump on Monday threatened to jail reporters unless they revealed the name of an anonymous source who provided information to an unidentified news outlet about the since-rescued U.S. airman missing in Iran. (WaPo.)
Newly obtained video of the January shooting of a Venezuelan man by an ICE agent conflicts with the account provided by the agent, who has since been placed on leave. While the federal government had access to the video soon after the Jan. 14 shooting, according to the Minneapolis police chief, it did not drop charges against the injured man and one of his housemates until Feb. 12. (NYT.) For background on the Justice Department’s motion to drop the charges, see a previous Roundup.
The Department of Education announced on Monday that it would end civil rights settlements with several schools protecting transgender students. (Press release.) (WaPo.)
Bob Bauer proposed modest reforms that Congress could consider to address the advent of an aggressively weaponized Justice Department. (Executive Functions.)
Bill Shipley argued that if the Supreme Court strikes down the Trump administration’s executive order on birthright citizenship, Republicans should campaign on ending birthright citizenship through a constitutional amendment. (Shipwreckedcrew.)
Pending Interim Order Applications Involving the U.S. Government in the Supreme Court
Blanche v. Perlmutter: The government filed an emergency application on October 27 requesting the Supreme Court to stay a district court interlocutory injunction that temporarily reinstated Shira Perlmutter to her role as Register of Copyrights while litigation over her removal continues. Chief Justice Roberts formally set a deadline of November 10 for a response to the application. Perlmutter submitted a response on November 10. Blanche submitted a reply on November 12. The Court deferred the application for stay on November 28 pending the Court’s decisions in Trump v. Slaughter and Trump v. Cook.
Trump v. Cook: The government filed an emergency application on September 18 requesting the Supreme Court to stay a preliminary injunction issued by a district court that blocked President Trump from removing Federal Reserve Governor Lisa Cook. Cook filed an opposition to the request on the same day. The Chief Justice formally set a deadline of September 25 for a response to the application. Cook filed a response on September 25. On October 1, the Court deferred action on the stay application pending oral argument in January 2026 and established a supplemental briefing schedule. Additional amicus briefs were filed on October 29. Both sides filed supplemental briefs on November 19 and the Court heard oral argument on Jan. 21, 2026.
Mullin v. Doe: The government filed an application on February 26 requesting the Supreme Court stay pending appeal of a preliminary injunction issued by a district court preliminarily enjoining then-Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem from terminating temporary protected status designation for Syria. The government asked the Court to construe the application as a petition for a writ of certiorari before judgment and grant the petition. On March 16, the Court consolidated the case with a challenge to the Department of Homeland Security’s termination of Temporary Protected Status designations for Haiti and granted certiorari before judgment of the consolidated cases while deferring action on the government’s request for a stay.
Trump v. Miot: The government filed an application on March 11 requesting the Supreme Court to stay a lower court order postponing then-Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem’s decision to terminate temporary protected status designation for Haiti. The government also asked the Court to treat the application as a petition for a writ of certiorari before judgment and grant the petition. On March 16, the Court consolidated the case with Mullin v. Doe.