In Chicago, Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson touts the primacy of the Constitution: ‘No one is above the law’

U.S. Supreme Court Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson, speaking in Chicago on Wednesday, made remarks about the importance of the Constitution and the protection of rights.

“The Constitution is our founding creed,” Jackson said at an event at the House of Hope Arena in Pullman. “A free country, a democratic country, is one in which no one is above the law.”

Though she made it clear she was speaking in general terms, Jackson’s comments were delivered against the backdrop of President Donald Trump’s recent efforts to push the limits of his power.

In the first weeks of his new administration, Trump signed a flurry of executive orders halting federal programs. Those orders are now being paused by the courts.

Trump has signed dozens of executive orders attempting to freeze federal funding, overturn birthright citizenship and oust federal workers.

However, many of Trump’s proposals have been put on hold by federal judges as his opponents file lawsuits pushing back against his orders.

Though the proposals may be tied up in court now, that could only be the beginning. Lawsuits that originated in more liberal jurisdictions like Boston, Seattle and Washington, D.C., could find their way to the U.S. Supreme Court, where a conservative majority has demonstrated its willingness to overturn established precedent.

Now, many are wondering: what happens if Trump ignores court rulings.

“He who saves his country does not violate any Law,” Trump said Saturday on his personal X account, suggesting the law does not apply to him.

But on Tuesday, Trump, who has been openly critical of the courts, said he would comply with court rulings on his policies. “I always abide by the courts. Always abide by them, and we’ll appeal,” he said.

Jackson, who is one of three liberals on the Supreme Court, encouraged everyone to know their rights and stay informed about what was happening in the government.

“The 14th Amendment in particular, which is the due process clause and the equal protection clause, are the amendment that guarantees that people are treated equally regardless of their skin color, or imagine, or anything else,” she said. “In a democracy, we need informed citizens who know what’s going on.”