President Donald Trump issued a scathing critique of the United States Supreme Court on Tuesday, labeling the justices as mere “shells” who have become beholden to liberal interests. His comments followed a recent court decision that halted his administration’s efforts to implement significant modifications to mail-in voting protocols ahead of upcoming midterm elections.
Writing on his Truth Social platform, the President expressed deep frustration, stating, “These are not the people I interviewed to serve on the United States Supreme Court, they are merely a shell of their original selves.” Notably, the three justices appointed during his first term—Brett Kavanaugh, Neil Gorsuch, and Amy Coney Barrett—did not record any dissent against the majority opinion blocking the voting rule changes. Only Justices Samuel Alito and Clarence Thomas indicated they would have permitted the new rules to proceed, earning them praise from the President, who described them as “legends.”
The President’s rebuke extended beyond the voting issue, as he took aim at other recent rulings that hindered aspects of his governing agenda, including the rejection of policies concerning birthright citizenship and expansive tariff plans. Claiming the court was “costing the United States Trillions of Dollars with shockingly bad rulings,” he warned that these decisions would make it difficult for the nation to recover or heal.
“It is a Court that will go down as having rendered some of the most destructive, hurtful, and damaging decisions in our Country’s history,” the President wrote. He added that while expressing such criticism carries personal costs, he felt compelled by his duty to speak out, asserting that some justices are “petrified of these crazed and depraved Democrats” and lack the resolve to protect the country.
Despite his current grievances, the Supreme Court has previously delivered major victories for the administration, most notably the 2024 ruling that established broad criminal immunity for presidents regarding official acts. Additionally, the court recently permitted progress on the construction of a White House ballroom, which had faced legal challenges from preservationists attempting to halt the project.
The Supreme Court declined to issue a response regarding the President’s public comments. This latest outburst signals a growing disillusionment for the President, who has increasingly clashed with the conservative judicial majority during his second term when rulings do not align with his policy goals. The report also notes that that includes rejections of his plans to limit birthright citizenship and enact sweeping tariffs.