President Donald Trump has issued more than 50 executive orders in a little over a month since his inauguration, among them including barring transgender people from military service, ending birthright citizenship for children of undocumented or temporary residents and establishing the U.S. Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE).
In response, an onslaught of lawsuits have been brought forward by states, organizations and individuals challenging the legality of these actions – with quite a few originating in Washington state. Attorney General Nick Brown has initiated – and joined – a flurry of legal challenges combatting some of President Trump’s executive orders.
“We are prepared and committed to using the full power of the Attorney General’s Office to enforce Washington’s laws, to protect people’s rights, and to keep Washingtonians safe,” Brown wrote in a statement on January 20, the day of President Donald Trump’s inauguration and the first day of his executive order flurry. “We will uphold the law and we will fight when called upon for our shared values.”
Along with executive orders, a sitting president can also issue other types of official documents that alter the workings of the federal government. Three types of presidential documents can be used to manage the federal government:
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An executive order, used to manage operations of the federal government.
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A proclamation, to communicate information on holidays, commemorations, federal observances and trade.
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An administrative order, used to manage administrative matters of the federal government.
Cascade PBS will be tracking these legal challenges involving Washington state using the tool below. The list includes legal challenges either filed in Washington state courts or that the state of Washington has joined, including those filed by Brown or other Washington-based organizations or individuals. A few of these cases are filed in response to actions taken by federal departments under the Trump administration but are not directly in response to executive orders.
This list will be updated as more legal challenges arise and as the current challenges progress. If you know of others that Cascade PBS should be watching, please email madeline.happold@cascadepbs.org.
