Trump Blasts Supreme Court Justices Gorsuch and Barrett Over $159 Billion Tariff Ruling

Donald Trump unleashed a rare and scathing public rebuke of two Supreme Court justices he personally appointed, Neil Gorsuch and Amy Coney Barrett, following their majority ruling that declared his $159 billion tariff program illegal. In a 545-word post on Truth Social, Trump accused the justices of showing “so little respect to our country, and its people” and lamented the damage their decision inflicted on the U.S. economy.

The tariff ruling, which struck down Trump’s use of the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA) to impose tariffs on foreign goods, was a 6-3 decision joining Gorsuch, Barrett, Chief Justice John Roberts, and the Court’s liberal wing. The dissenters—Justices Clarence Thomas, Samuel Alito, and Brett Kavanaugh—argued the tariffs were constitutional. But the majority’s verdict forced the government to consider repaying billions to companies and countries hit by the tariffs, a move Trump called “hardly believable.”

Trump’s fury extended beyond tariffs. He warned the Court is poised to rule against his efforts to end birthright citizenship, a controversial policy allowing anyone born on U.S. soil automatic citizenship. He framed the issue as an “unsustainable, unsafe, and incredibly costly DISASTER” and accused the Court of disrespecting the presidency itself, noting he was the first president ever to attend a Supreme Court session—a fact he claims went unacknowledged.

The former president’s post also revealed a bitter sense of betrayal. Despite appointing Gorsuch and Barrett, he accused them of hurting the country and suggested their rulings undermine his agenda to “MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN.” He contrasted their decisions with what he describes as unwavering loyalty from liberal justices, implying Republican appointees are too eager to assert independence or oppose him personally.

Trump even floated the idea of “packing the court” himself, mocking the notion that only Democrats pursue court expansion. His comments underscore the politicization of the judiciary and the growing tensions between the Trump-aligned right and the Supreme Court’s current conservative bloc.

This episode highlights the broader pattern of Trump’s ongoing attacks on institutions meant to check executive power. His public disparagement of justices he appointed signals a dangerous disregard for judicial independence and foreshadows further attempts to reshape the Court or undermine its authority.

As the Supreme Court prepares to rule on birthright citizenship soon, the stakes remain high. Trump’s relentless pressure campaign aims to sway or punish justices who defy his agenda, threatening the integrity of the nation’s highest court and the rule of law itself.