Senator Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) is pushing back against the Trump administration’s recent suggestion that it may suspend habeas corpus, calling the idea a calculated distraction from deeper economic issues facing the country.
In a Sunday appearance on NBC’s Meet the Press, Klobuchar addressed comments made by Trump adviser Stephen Miller, who said the administration is “actively looking at” suspending the legal right that protects individuals from being detained without cause.
“He has to follow the Constitution. And in that Constitution, there is the right of habeas corpus,” Klobuchar said. “Even conservative commentators have acknowledged that only Congress could change that — and that’s not going to happen.”
While the legal implications of Miller’s remarks are concerning to some, Klobuchar argued that the underlying motive is political, not legal. According to her, the timing of the statement was no coincidence.
“To me, you know what? That isn’t really the issue,” she said. “Stephen Miller brings that up on a Friday just to throw it out there, so you’ll ask me about it on a Sunday show.”
The Minnesota senator accused the Trump administration of using dramatic rhetoric to divert attention from what she described as a deepening economic crisis. She pointed to small business closures, a breakdown in public services, and fears among Americans about their access to essential programs.
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“I’m telling you right now, he’s doing it because they don’t want to focus on what’s really in front of them,” Klobuchar said. “They have created havoc in our economy.”
She went on to highlight the real concerns she’s hearing from constituents: delays in accessing Social Security and Medicaid, challenges with long-term care for aging family members, and the struggles of small business owners.
“An economy that was improving has now taken a turn,” Klobuchar said. “We have people out there scared to death that they’re not going to be able to get their Social Security checks because there’s no one available to take their calls. They’re not sure if their Medicaid will come through, or whether their mother can stay in assisted living. And yes, their small businesses are folding.”
Klobuchar described a clear pattern she believes the Trump administration follows — creating media distractions to pull attention away from policy failures.
“They keep throwing out these things just so we all talk about them for four days,” she said. “And I am, frankly, tired of it.”
Despite the alarming nature of the administration’s rhetoric, Klobuchar dismissed any real risk to the constitutional right of habeas corpus, reiterating that Congress would never allow such a move.
“No, they’re not going to reverse habeas corpus in the Congress,” she said. “That’s not going to happen.”
