Ruth Marcus
Ruth Marcus is a contributing writer at The New Yorker based in Washington, D.C., and Jackson, Wyoming, who focusses on law, the courts, and the rule of law under President Trump. Marcus joined The New Yorker after a career at the Washington Post, where, most recently, she was an associate editor and an opinion columnist. During her time at the Post, she covered the White House, the Supreme Court, and the Justice Department; served as deputy national editor; and was a deputy editor overseeing the op-ed section. She was a finalist for the 2007 Pulitzer Prize in Commentary and is the author of “Supreme Ambition: Brett Kavanaugh and the Conservative Takeover.”
How an Attack on Obamacare Saved Abortion in Wyoming
In the most conservative state in the U.S., libertarianism can lead in surprising directions.
Jack Smith’s Closing Argument
The former special prosecutor has no regrets about pursuing a case against Donald Trump.
The Federal Judge at the Trump Rally
Emil Bove violated a basic tenet of judicial ethics, presumably on purpose.
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The Dishonorable Strikes on Venezuelan Boats
New reporting suggests that Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth violated multiple rules of war.
The Justice Department Hits a New Low with the Epstein Files
Not only is the department’s behavior not normal; it is also, as is becoming increasingly clear, self-defeating.
How the Supreme Court Defines Liberty
Recent memoirs by the Justices reveal how a new vision of restraint has led to radical outcomes.
Tom Homan and the Case of the Missing Fifty Thousand
Lawmakers and ordinary citizens have to keep asking about the bag of cash, or accept an executive branch without any accountability.
The Indictment of Letitia James and the Collapse of Impartial Justice
The question raised by the prosecution of James is: would any other federal prosecutor have brought this case against any other defendant? The answer seems to be no.
Nixon Now Looks Restrained
The former President once made an offhand remark about Charles Manson’s guilt. The reaction shows how aberrant Donald Trump’s rhetoric is.
The Flimsy, Dangerous Indictment of James Comey
The charges against the former F.B.I. director look weak. But they may be just the start of Donald Trump’s long-threatened drive to use the Justice Department to go after his enemies.
Donald Trump’s Firing of a Federal Prosecutor Crosses the Reddest of Lines
The dismissal of Erik Siebert sends yet another ominous message about the risks of refusing to do the President’s bidding, and the lengths to which he will go to punish perceived enemies.
What Ghislaine Maxwell Told the Justice Department
Listening to the convicted sex offender’s lengthy interview reveals that she and her interviewer had one goal—to satisfy Donald Trump.
Pam Bondi’s Power Play
Donald Trump now has the Attorney General he always wanted—an ally willing to harness the law to enable his agenda.
Why a Devoted Justice Department Lawyer Became a Whistle-Blower
In the first Trump Administration, “they didn’t say ‘Fuck you’ to the courts,” Erez Reuveni said.
The Supreme Court Sides with Trump Against the Judiciary
Its ruling lets the President temporarily revoke birthright citizenship—and enforce other unconstitutional executive orders without fear of being blocked by “rogue judges.”
Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson’s Declaration of Independence
The newest Justice is increasingly willing to condemn the actions of the conservative majority, even when that means breaking with her liberal colleagues.
President Trump’s Military Games
Trump, always attracted to playing the role of the strongman, is even more inclined than he was in his first term to misuse the military for his own political gratification.
The Supreme Court Undercuts Another Check on Executive Power
In leaping to defend the Trump Administration, the Court conveniently ignored a long-established precedent that prevented Presidents from firing independent-agency heads at will.
J. D. Vance Warns Courts to Get in Line
The Vice-President says it’s time for Chief Justice John Roberts to step in and make judges behave. He’s wrong.
The Stakes of the Birthright-Citizenship Case
The Trump Administration is trying to use the case to stop lower-court judges from issuing “nationwide injunctions” against its unconstitutional executive orders.