Ever since Chief Justice John Roberts swore in Donald Trump at the US Capitol January 20 – with the eight other Supreme Court justices looking on – the question has been whether they would restrain a president who vowed to upend the constitutional order.

The White House and a close circle of lawyers plan for Trump to hit the ground running if there's a Supreme Court vacancy, sources tell TIME.

Even with new curbs on their powers, district judges have found ways to broadly halt some of the administration’s actions.