Trump Says 2 Justices He Appointed ‘Sicken Him’
President Trump sharply criticized the Supreme Court during remarks at a National Republican Congressional Committee dinner in Washington on Wednesday, directing particular frustration at two justices he personally appointed to the bench.
Speaking at the fundraising event, Trump condemned the court’s recent 6–3 decision that blocked his use of what he called “reciprocal” tariffs. Without naming them directly, he pointed to two of his own nominees—Justices Neil Gorsuch and Amy Coney Barrett—for joining the majority opinion that ruled against the policy.
“Two of the people that voted for that, I appointed, and they sicken me,” Trump said during the speech. “They sicken me because they’re bad for our country.”
Trump argued that court decisions like this one are costing the United States enormous sums of money. He told attendees that unfavorable rulings from what he called “bad courts” have led to significant financial losses for the country. According to Trump, the Supreme Court’s decision could force the government to repay as much as $165 billion in tariffs collected from American importers.
“All they needed was a sentence … and they couldn’t care less,” he said. “They couldn’t care less.”
The president has repeatedly criticized the court since it delivered the ruling in February. Earlier this month, he described the Supreme Court as a “weaponized, and unjust Political Organization” that he said is damaging the country and will continue to do so.
The case at the center of the dispute, Learning Resources Inc. v. Trump, examined whether the president had the authority to impose tariffs under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act. In the majority opinion, Chief Justice John Roberts concluded that the language of the law does not give the president such broad power to impose tariffs on imports.
Justices Gorsuch and Barrett joined Roberts in the majority decision. Trump’s other appointee to the court, Justice Brett Kavanaugh, disagreed with the ruling and joined Justices Samuel Alito and Clarence Thomas in dissent.
Following the decision, the administration began relying on different trade authorities to continue imposing tariffs, including Section 122 and Section 301 of the Trade Act.
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