Reagan-Appointed Judge Calls Trump an “Authoritarian,” Accuses Cabinet Officials of an “Unconstitutional Conspiracy”

U.S. District Judge William Young — a Ronald Reagan appointee — sharply criticized the Trump administration in a federal courtroom, accusing senior officials of what he called "breathtaking" violations of the Constitution and labeling the president an "authoritarian." The remarks came during a case about the administration's handling of pro-Palestinian students.

Delivering a forceful rebuke, Judge Young said the administration displayed a "fearful approach" to free speech that risks "excluding from participation everyone who doesn't agree with them." He argued that key executive-branch officials were not honoring the protections of the First Amendment.

"The big problem in this case is that the Cabinet secretaries and, ostensibly, the president of the United States, are not honoring the First Amendment," Judge Young said, adding that he used the term "authoritarian" "carefully."

The judge also accused what he described as an "unconstitutional conspiracy to pick off certain people," singling out Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem and Secretary of State Marco Rubio as participants in that scheme. He said those Cabinet members had "failed in their sworn duty to uphold the Constitution." These allegations were part of his broader critique of the administration's approach in the specific case before him.

WASHINGTON, DC - AUGUST 26: U.S. President Donald Trump as he holds a cabinet meeting with members of his administration in the Cabinet Room of the White House on August 26, 2025 in Washington, DC. This is the seventh cabinet meeting of Trump's second term. Trump was seated next to Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth. (Photo by Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)(Chip Somodevilla / Getty Images)

Young's comments echoed a series of high-profile rebukes from other Reagan-appointed federal judges over the past year. For example, U.S. District Judge John Coughenour struck down an executive order on birthright citizenship and warned that the president had treated the rule of law as an impediment to political aims. U.S. District Judge Beryl Howell reminded the White House that "an American President is not a king," and U.S. District Judge Mark L. Wolf called the administration an "existential threat to democracy and the rule of law" before resigning so he could speak more freely.

Observers noted that recent White House efforts that appeared aimed at intimidating the judiciary have not stopped judges from issuing strong rulings or stern public statements. The courtroom disputes highlight ongoing tensions between the executive branch and federal courts over constitutional limits, free-speech protections, and the proper role of elected officials.

What’s next: The ruling in this case will be watched closely for both its legal impact on student speech and its wider implications for executive-branch accountability and judicial independence.