US President Donald Trump launched a sharp and deeply personal attack on members of the Supreme Court of the United States after the bench struck down his administration’s sweeping global tariff policy, a decision widely seen as one of the most significant judicial setbacks of his second term.
Calling the verdict “deeply disappointing,” Trump said the justices in the majority “should be absolutely ashamed” and accused them of lacking the courage to “do the right thing.” His remarks quickly escalated into a broader criticism of the judiciary, an equal branch of government.
A Rare Rebuke Of The Court
Speaking at a press conference at the White House just hours after the ruling was issued, Trump made clear he viewed the decision not only as a policy defeat but as a personal affront.
“I’m ashamed of certain members of the court. Absolutely ashamed for not having the courage to do what’s right for our country,” he said at the outset of the briefing.
The court had ruled that presidents do not possess inherent authority to impose sweeping tariffs across countries without clear congressional backing. The judgment effectively invalidated the administration’s global tariff framework.
For nearly 45 minutes, Trump criticised the ruling and signalled he would explore alternative legal pathways to maintain tariff pressure on foreign governments. But throughout his remarks, he repeatedly returned to the justices themselves, underscoring how strongly he felt about the outcome.
Justices From Both Wings In Majority
The six justices who voted to strike down the tariffs reflected an unusual ideological split, with members from both conservative and liberal blocs joining the majority.
The liberal justices included Elena Kagan, Sonia Sotomayor and Ketanji Brown Jackson, all appointed by Democratic presidents. They were joined by Chief Justice John Roberts, nominated by George W. Bush, as well as Neil Gorsuch and Amy Coney Barrett, both appointed during Trump’s first term.
Trump did not single out justices based on who appointed them. Instead, he directed criticism at the entire majority, signalling frustration that even his own nominees had sided against his administration.
