Gary O'Donoghue

One is its natural resources, but also Greenland has been and is hugely strategic in its position. It's in the mid-Atlantic, it's on the edge of the Arctic Circle. We know that the Arctic is increasingly a place of great power politics for various reasons. So there are all sorts of reasons why geopolitically Greenland is of interest to all sorts of people.

And that's why you're seeing all this attention paid to it at the moment.

And that's why you're seeing all this attention paid to it at the moment.

In a social media post, Donald Trump called Judge Boasberg a radical left lunatic, a troublemaker and an agitator, adding that he should be impeached, in other words, removed from office.

In a social media post, Donald Trump called Judge Boasberg a radical left lunatic, a troublemaker and an agitator, adding that he should be impeached, in other words, removed from office.

While not addressing the president directly, the statement from the Chief Justice, John Roberts, represents an unequivocal admonishment of the president's words and a significant intervention in what is shaping up to be a potential constitutional crisis. America's political system is based on three branches of government, the executive, congress and the judiciary.

While not addressing the president directly, the statement from the Chief Justice, John Roberts, represents an unequivocal admonishment of the president's words and a significant intervention in what is shaping up to be a potential constitutional crisis. America's political system is based on three branches of government, the executive, congress and the judiciary.

And this separation of powers is designed to create a system of checks and balances so that no one branch can dominate the others. But in recent days, a number of senior administration officials have suggested the White House could simply ignore judicial decisions it doesn't like. with the border czar, Tom Homan, saying, We're not stopping. I don't care what the judges think.

And this separation of powers is designed to create a system of checks and balances so that no one branch can dominate the others. But in recent days, a number of senior administration officials have suggested the White House could simply ignore judicial decisions it doesn't like. with the border czar, Tom Homan, saying, We're not stopping. I don't care what the judges think.

What concerns many is that it's far from clear what could prevent the White House from ignoring the courts if it chose to do so. After all, judges have no means of enforcing their decisions, no army at their beck and call. Congress could impeach a president who took such a course, but the bar for doing so is high, and Mr Trump has already survived two such attempts before.

What concerns many is that it's far from clear what could prevent the White House from ignoring the courts if it chose to do so. After all, judges have no means of enforcing their decisions, no army at their beck and call. Congress could impeach a president who took such a course, but the bar for doing so is high, and Mr Trump has already survived two such attempts before.

I'm Gary O'Donoghue, the senior North America correspondent.

I'm Gary O'Donoghue, the senior North America correspondent.

So an executive order covers a whole range of things from proclamations, just things the president thinks is true, right through to directions of the federal government to do certain things, right through to things that have constitutional implications. So all these ones he's issued right across that gamut. You said dozens, and then you're right.

So an executive order covers a whole range of things from proclamations, just things the president thinks is true, right through to directions of the federal government to do certain things, right through to things that have constitutional implications. So all these ones he's issued right across that gamut. You said dozens, and then you're right.

And it compares to his first term when I think there was just four in the first five days.

And it compares to his first term when I think there was just four in the first five days.

Yeah, he could fall foul of something called the Impoundment Control Act, which is effectively Congress spends money in the US Constitution. He has the power of the purse, as they say. Presidents can hold up money being directed, but they can't really stop it as they can't really raise it without agreement of Congress. And that's one of those things that's going to be challenged in court.

Yeah, he could fall foul of something called the Impoundment Control Act, which is effectively Congress spends money in the US Constitution. He has the power of the purse, as they say. Presidents can hold up money being directed, but they can't really stop it as they can't really raise it without agreement of Congress. And that's one of those things that's going to be challenged in court.

Certainly that 370 million odd that he's stopped from the infrastructure spending, that's going to be challenged.