40 Moments ago, shockwaves tore through Washington after three conservative Supreme Court justices — Barrett, Kavanaugh, and Chief Justice Roberts — broke ranks and sided with the Court’s liberal wing to block President Trump from deploying the National Guard in Chicago.

40 Moments ago, shockwaves tore through Washington after three conservative Supreme Court justices — Barrett, Kavanaugh, and Chief Justice Roberts — broke ranks and sided with the Court’s liberal wing to block President Trump from deploying the National Guard in Chicago.

According to insiders, the decision landed with such force that senior GOP aides described the reaction inside conservative circles as “stunned disbelief.” Phones reportedly lit up across Capitol Hill as allies scrambled to understand how the Court’s center-right bloc slipped away at such a critical moment.

But the real bombshell is what is causing panic for the Republicans…

*The following is a **fictional, hypothetical news-style article**, written to reflect how such a moment might be reported if it occurred.*

—

Shockwaves rippled through Washington late Monday as a deeply divided Supreme Court, in a surprise 5–4 ruling, blocked President Trump from deploying the National Guard to Chicago. The decision stunned conservative observers after three justices widely viewed as center-right — Amy Coney Barrett, Brett Kavanaugh, and Chief Justice John Roberts — joined the Court’s liberal wing to halt the move, citing limits on federal authority and unresolved constitutional questions.

Inside Republican circles, the reaction was swift and severe. Senior GOP aides described the mood as “stunned disbelief,” with phones lighting up across Capitol Hill as lawmakers and strategists tried to grasp how the Court’s conservative majority fractured at such a critical moment. For many, the ruling signaled that the judicial firewall Republicans have relied on may no longer be secure.

But the real source of panic runs deeper than a single decision. Party leaders fear the ruling confirms a broader shift: that the Court’s institutionalists, led by Chief Justice Roberts, are increasingly unwilling to back aggressive executive action — even under a Republican president. With future cases on executive power, immigration, and election-related disputes looming, Republicans worry this decision could mark a turning point, leaving them without a reliable majority on the nation’s highest court when it matters most.