Politics
Judge Resigns, Citing ‘Existential Threat’ Under Trump
By Jake Beardslee · November 16, 2025
Resignation Announcement
U.S. District Judge Mark L. Wolf has stepped down from the federal bench, issuing an unusually forceful rebuke of President Donald Trump’s legal tactics and warning of escalating threats to judicial independence. Gage Skidmore, CC BY-SA 2.0 https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Warning on Democratic Stability
Wolf, who served more than three decades on the federal court in Massachusetts, framed his resignation as a necessary step to confront what he views as an acute challenge to constitutional governance. He vowed to do “everything in my power to combat today’s existential threat to democracy and the rule of law.” Wolf further stressed that “even if a prosecution ends in an acquittal, it can have devastating consequences for the defendant.” Martha Stewart, CC BY-SA 4.0 https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Court Response
In a public statement, the U.S. District Court for the District of Massachusetts praised Wolf’s tenure, citing his influential rulings and his leadership as chief judge. The court credited him with shaping the district’s modern legal identity and maintaining high professional standards throughout his service. Tingey Injury Law Firm / Unsplash
Concerns About Politicized Prosecutions
Wolf has repeatedly criticized what he considers politically driven cases influenced by Trump and his allies. He warned that selective prosecutions can inflict lasting damage regardless of the outcome. He said in an opinion piece in The Atlantic that he hopes to see “a judiciary that helps protect our democracy. That has the authority and responsibility to hold elected officials to the limits of the power delegated to them by the people. That strives to ensure that the rights of minority groups, no matter how they are viewed by others, are not violated. That can serve as a check on corruption to prevent public officials from unlawfully enriching themselves.” The White House / Wikimedia
Reflection on Judicial Service
Wolf described his appointment to the bench as a continuation of a tradition he deeply respected. “Becoming a federal judge was an ideal opportunity to extend a noble tradition that I had been educated by experience to treasure,” he wrote, noting that his time on the court reinforced the importance of legal constraints on executive power. Sora Shimazaki / Unsplash
Broader Political Tensions
Lower federal courts have blocked various presidential actions in recent years, leading some Republican lawmakers to demand investigations into judges’ public commentary. Amid this pressure, Wolf reminded prosecutors of their core obligation, writing that “The DOJ must ensure prosecutors do not seek an indictment unless they have ‘sufficient admissible evidence to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.’” ajay_suresh, CC BY 2.0 https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0, via Wikimedia Commons