go after the courts

[GoodTaste]

Does "go after the courts" mean "chase and hit and destroy the courts of law"?

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Trump, in Grzymala-Busse’s assessment, “articulates a classic populist message that we see in Europe: the elite establishment is a collusive cartel uninterested in the problems of ‘the people,’” and, she continued, he has begun to follow the path of European populist leaders:


Much of Trump’s language and actions are also familiar: there is a standard authoritarian populist template, developed in Hungary and faithfully followed in Poland and in Turkey: first, go after the courts, then the media, then the civil society, churches, universities.

Source

 

[probus]

Yes.

 

[Tarheel]

It doesn't mean destroy them. The courts in some cases are seen as trying to assume executive power. The President is pushing back. And he has sought to overturn the rulings of some judges.

 

[GoesStation]

You can replace go after with attack​ in this usage.