Washington DC - President Donald Trump accused the judges blocking his executive orders of committing a "serious violation" Tuesday as his administration veered towards a constitutional clash with the courts.

With a loyal Republican Party controlling Congress, Trump has largely ignored the legislature as he carries out his unprecedented attempt to dismantle large parts of the state.

But he has faced growing pushback from the courts since taking office three weeks ago, with around a dozen court orders issued against the administration from some 40 lawsuits.

Politicians JD Vance told to "read the Constitution" after epic display of executive ignorance

As the courts and Trump appeared increasingly to be on a collision course, the president pledged to stand by their rulings – but claimed that judges were preventing him from cleaning up the government.

"We want to weed out the corruption. And it seems hard to believe that a judge could say we don't want you to do that," Trump told reporters in the Oval Office Tuesday.

"So maybe we have to look at the judges, because that's very serious. I think it's a very serious violation."

Although the US Constitution designates the federal judiciary as an independent branch of government with as much authority as the White House, it is inherently politicized, as judges are selected by presidents for lifetime appointments.

The judges who have ruled against Trump were appointed by six different Democratic and Republican presidents, however, including the current White House occupant himself.

Trump fell afoul of the judiciary over an attempt to freeze $3 trillion in federal grants and loans, a deferred resignation program for government workers, and a plan to transfer trans women inmates to men's prisons.

Donald Trump Trump signs executive order allowing US businesses to bribe foreign governments

He has also clashed with judges over his abolition of birthright citizenship, caging immigrants at Guantánamo Bay, funding cuts to the National Institutes of Health, firing a government ethics watchdog and placing USAID staff on leave.

Injunctions have been placed on each of these actions and there was further bad news for Trump on Tuesday as a federal judge ordered him to restore a glut of public health web pages removed last month.

Asked by reporters at the White House if he would honor the will of the courts, Trump told reporters: "I always abide by the courts, and then I'll have to appeal it."

But concerns are mounting that Trump could ultimately defy the rulings. Vice President JD Vance has added fueled to the fire, making the blatantly false claim that judges lack authority to "control the executive's legitimate power."

The DOGE injunction also came under attack from Elon Musk, the unelected far-right billionaire who has called for an annual mass firing of federal judges and brayed over democracy "being destroyed by judicial coup."