Trump, Departmentalism, and the Judiciary

President Trump should look to the actions of Thomas Jefferson , Andrew Jackson , and Abraham Lincoln for guidance, writes Julian Zelizer .

Zelizer: The president should act in light of his understanding of the Constitution .

He says these controversies provide a much-needed opportunity for reviving departmentalism and executive independence.

Trump 's opponents are thrilled his administration is facing judicial setbacks, Zelizer says.

President Trump 's executive orders are a bold step in the direction of reviving departmentalism, says Julian Zelizer .

Zelizer: The notion of universal injunctions, in which a single federal judge can enjoin implementation of a law or an executive order upon any potential persons implicated, is deeply constitutionally suspect.

The president should ignore these injunctions in all other cases other than those of the particular plaintiffs who have sued and won preliminary judgments.

President Trump has a rare opportunity to reassert executive independence and departmentalism.

While a full restoration of the Founders’ regime may be decades in the making, any step in the right direction is to be applauded.

The American Mind is a publication of the Claremont Institute , a non-profit 501(c)(3) organization.