Justice Clarence Thomas warned that progressivism threatens America’s founding principles, calling it “retrogressive” in a speech on the Declaration.
on Wednesday warned that progressivism threatens the nation’s founding principles, calling it “retrogressive” during a speech at the University of His remarks come as ideological divisions on the Supreme Court have sharpened amid ongoing debates over executive power, immigration enforcement and the role of the administrative state. Those disputes affect how federal authority is exercised and how the court’s 6-3 conservative majority interprets limits on government power.
Thomas argued that progressivism conflicts with the Declaration’s commitment to natural rights and limited government. He said the Declaration establishes the ends of government, while the, saying that the United States owed its success to rejecting centralized planning and administrative rule. “Progressivism, in other words, is retrogressive,” Thomas asserted, arguing that modern governance trends abandon those foundations rather than improve upon them.
Thomas warned that replacing natural rights with evolving notions of historical progress has repeatedly enabled abuse, pointing to segregation, eugenics and other state‑sanctioned practices upheld in past Supreme Court rulings. He argued that reliance on administrative authority diminishes self-government and weakens constitutional protections, particularly for minorities.'Progressivism seeks to replace the basic premises of the Declaration of Independence, and hence our form of government,' the conservative justice said.'It holds that our rights and our dignities come not from God, but from the government. It requires of the people a subservience and weakness incompatible with a Constitution premised on the transcendent origin of our rights.'
that sharpened during and after Donald Trump’s presidency, which reshaped the court with three conservative appointments, Neil Gorsuch, Brett Kavanaugh and Amy Coney Barrett. The resulting 6-3 conservative majority has repeatedly revisited long‑settled precedents and expanded executive authority, particularly through emergency orders that allow administrations to pursue contested policies while litigation continues. That approach has drawn sustained criticism from the court’s liberal justices, who argue that expedited rulings often lack full briefing, detailed reasoning and sufficient consideration of how policies affect individuals.
Immigration enforcement has emerged as a recurring flashpoint, with conservatives emphasizing deference to presidential authority and liberals warning of constitutional violations and real‑world harm.offering ideological context that traditionally appeared only in judicial opinions. Those public engagements have increased as the court faces heightened scrutiny and declining public confidence following several polarizing rulings. While the justices continue to stress collegiality, Thomas’ warning this week underscored how sharply divided the court remains over the meaning of progress, the scope of government power and the relevance of America’s founding documents.
As the Supreme Court approaches the Declaration’s 250th anniversary, those philosophical clashes—sharpened in the Trump era—are expected to continue shaping decisions on immigration, administrative authority and executive power well beyond a single presidency.
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