Judges want to peek under the hood at the Justice Department, setting up another showdown with Trump

Lindsey Halligan, attorney for U.S. President Donald Trump, looks on during an executive order signing in the Oval Office of the White House, on March 31, 2025 in Washington, DC. Al Drago/Getty Images

The Justice Department is facing several court orders that land it in a position it often seeks to avoid: Revealing the private statements of its top political leaders.

Judges’ attempts to confidentially review executive branch records and hold hearings where Justice Department attorneys could take the stand are bearing down in the coming days.

In one case, regarding the migrant Kilmar Abrego Garcia, the Justice Department is fighting to keep Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche from having to testify about prosecutorial decision-making in a hearing next month.

And this week, federal Ju