Fact Check: Did Donald Trump order firing of a federal judge over activism?
WASHINGTON, DC: A rumor is circulating on social media platforms claiming that President Donald Trump has become the first president to order the firing of a federal judge for activism. The claim has evoked conflicting reactions among online users. While many applauded him, others questioned his authority, prompting a fact-check.
Claim: Donald Trump ordered the firing of a federal judge
🚨PRESIDENT TRUMP IS THE FIRST CHIEF EXECUTIVE TO EVER ORDER THE FIRING OF A FEDERAL JUDGE FOR ACTIVISM! 🔗 https://t.co/urcsgK7nYm “It is within the POTUS’ rights,” said Constitutional Scholar and Harvard Law Professor Alan Dershowitz, “it’s just never been done before.” Dershowitz says POTUS typically allows the circuit courts to police their own and rein them in when they get political. “This was an extreme case. She needed to go.”Judge Josephine Barron was informed that she’s been terminated immediately. She was given 24 hours to vacate her office in the 4th US District Court of New Jersey. Let’s hope more will follow. Share this everywhere so they see Trump just fired an activist judge and cleared her out in 24 hours! Follow @mcafeenew for more drops.
— John McAfee 🇺🇸 News (@mcafeenew) October 4, 2026
According to a viral X post, President Trump is the first chief executive to order the firing of a federal judge for activism.
“It is within the POTUS’ rights,” Constitutional Scholar and Harvard Law Professor Alan Dershowitz allegedly said, “It’s just never been done before.”
The post states that the president usually lets federal appeals courts handle their own judges, but can step in when he believes those courts are becoming too political.
“This was an extreme case. She needed to go,” Trump allegedly said.
The post went on to say that Judge Josephine Barron was informed she had been terminated immediately and was given 24 hours to vacate her office in the 4th US District Court of New Jersey.
The claim triggered concern and criticism from online users, with many questioning the president’s authority to fire a judge, indicating they believe the claim is true.
Meanwhile, a few others remained skeptical and questioned its authenticity.
Fact Check: No such firing has taken place
However, the claim is false and fabricated, as there is no evidence of such an extreme move by the president.
No official statements, press coverage, or transcripts from Trump or the White House support the claim.
If Trump had really made such a move, it would not have gone unreported by credible news outlets. A search for the judge’s name mentioned in the post also yielded no credible results, except for the online posts sharing the claim.
Additionally, the claim originated from an X account called ‘John McAfee News,’ which, though not explicitly a parody account, has posted similar fake and exaggerated claims for the sake of engagement.
Donald Trump faces setback over prosecutor firing
The claim surfaced days after a federal judge on October 1 ruled that Trump lacks the authority to fire court-appointed US attorneys, dealing the administration a setback.
This followed Trump’s firing of prosecutor Roger-Rogoff from the US Attorney’s Office in the Western District of Washington in July, less than an hour after he was sworn in following his unanimous appointment by federal judges.
