In a major ruling with profound implications for the balance of power in Washington, the US Supreme Court has cleared the way for Texas to implement a newly redrawn congressional map that could deliver up to five additional seats to Republicans. The decision, handed down on Thursday 4 December 2025, represents a crucial victory for former President Donald Trump as he campaigns to fortify the Republican Party's narrow majority in the House of Representatives ahead of next year's midterm elections.
A Pivotal Ruling for Republican Hopes
The court's conservative majority, in an unsigned order, voted 6-3 to grant Texas's request to lift a lower court's injunction from November that had blocked the state's new electoral boundaries. The three liberal justices dissented. The Supreme Court argued that the district court had "improperly inserted itself into an active primary campaign", causing confusion and disrupting the federal-state balance in election administration.
This legal battle is a central front in a nationwide war over redistricting. Texas is a linchpin in Trump's strategy to reshape the US House map to secure Republican control for the latter half of his presidential term. Democrats need to flip only a small number of seats to reclaim the Speaker's gavel, and historical trends show the opposition party often gains ground in midterm elections, especially when a president's approval ratings are low.
Controversy Over Racial Gerrymandering Allegations
The lower district court had previously found that Texas likely engaged in unlawful racial gerrymandering by sorting voters based on race when it adopted the new maps. Consequently, it had ordered the state to revert to the maps drawn after the 2020 census for the upcoming election.
Justice Elena Kagan authored a sharply worded dissent, objecting to the majority's decision. She argued it showed disrespect for the work of the lower court, notably pointing out that the blocked ruling was authored by a judge originally appointed by Trump himself.
Other Key Developments from 4 December 2025
The Supreme Court ruling dominated a day of significant political and legal news across the United States:
The Pentagon confirmed that US Southern Command conducted another deadly strike on a boat suspected of carrying narcotics in the eastern Pacific, killing four men. This operation continues amid scrutiny over the legal basis for such military actions against suspected drug smugglers.
An arrest was made in connection with the pipe bombs planted outside both Democratic and Republican party headquarters in Washington DC on the eve of the 6 January 2021 Capitol riot.
In immigration news, a federal appeals court allowed Trump's deployment of National Guard troops in Washington DC to continue, lifting an injunction that would have required their withdrawal. Furthermore, a shocking report from Amnesty International alleged "harrowing human rights violations" at a Florida immigration detention centre nicknamed "Alligator Alcatraz".
The New York Times initiated a lawsuit against the US Defense Department and Secretary Pete Hegseth, challenging new restrictions on press access and source-based reporting at the Pentagon imposed by the Trump administration.
These events collectively paint a picture of a nation engaged in intense political, legal, and social battles, with the redistricting fight in Texas standing as a critical moment for the future composition of Congress.
