Can the president ignore the Supreme Court?

No. A president cannot legally ignore a Supreme Court ruling, and doing so would create a constitutional crisis.

Why: Supreme Court decisions are binding on the executive branch. The Court does not have its own army, but the president is still required to follow the law and enforce court orders.

What can happen if a president resists:

• Congress can impeach
• The courts can keep issuing orders
• Public and political pressure can force compliance
• The president can lose legitimacy and support

History shows tension, not a free pass: presidents have sometimes delayed, resisted, or narrowly ignored rulings, but that is not the same as having legal authority to ignore the Supreme Court.

Bottom line: the president can try to defy the Court in practice, but not lawfully.