In a major about-face, Donald Trump is turning on the conservative powerhouse that built his judicial legacy, the Federalist Society. Yale Law professor Akhil Reed Amar warns that this break with the very group that helped propel him to power marks a dangerous shift. “He just wants loyalty to himself—thugs and hacks,” Amar says, adding that Federalist Society judges are principled and loyal to the Constitution, not to Trump. “The Senate needs to play a really important role now—especially now that he’s showing his cards.” Trump’s latest nominee, his own defense lawyer Emil Bove, has drawn sharp criticism, including from conservative circles. “It’s one thing to put people in your branch, in your cabinet—but we’re talking about life-appointed judges and justices,” Amar warns.

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