Federal judges across the country have flexed their authority at President Donald Trump as he moves to rapidly reshape the government, leading some to question what would happen if the judiciary and executive branches reached a stalemate.

President Donald Trump, Vice President JD Vance and Elon Musk are not exactly downplaying the possibility of ignoring court orders that stand in their way.

As the cases progress, and judges have issued orders halting overreach on the part of Musk and Trump, a growing chorus on the right are urging them to ignore the courts. For constitutional and government scholars, this would be a fundamental step from democracy toward autocracy.