Trump administration losing credibility with judges and grand juries – a former federal judge explains why this is ‘remarkable and unprecedented’

Grand juries, historically rubber stamps for prosecutors’ attempts to indict, are rejecting the Trump administration’s moves to indict the president’s perceived enemies. That’s unprecedented.

By: John E. Jones III, Dickinson College, The Conversation

Outlets: The Conversation

Published: February 11, 2026

Words: 1,498

Last Updated: 1 month ago

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By John E. Jones III, Dickinson College

The word “unprecedented” is getting a workout after a grand jury in Washington on Feb. 10, 2026, rebuffed an attempt by federal prosecutors to get an indictment against perceived enemies of President Donald Trump.

It began with an unprecedented video in November 2025 featuring six Democratic lawmakers alerting military and intelligence community members that they had the duty to disobey illegal orders. That enraged Trump, who …

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