Trump accuses Supreme Court justices of disloyalty for declaring his tariffs illegal

President Donald Trump accelerated his assault on the federal judiciary Thursday by accusing “certain” Supreme Court justices of being “unpatriotic and disloyal” by striking down most of his tariffs.

Trump’s dangerous outburst against the court came after six justices, including two he appointed in his first term, declared that he violated federal law by unilaterally imposing sweeping tariffs across the globe last year.

The Supreme Court striking down his tariffs was by far its strongest pushback yet to Trump’s unprecedented power grab over the past year.

Reacting to the decision during a last-minute press conference in the White House, Trump said he was “ashamed of certain members of the court — absolutely ashamed — for not having the courage to do what’s right for our country.”

Though he never said their names, Trump’s inflammatory statements were directed at Chief Justice John Roberts and Trump-appointed Justices Amy Coney Barrett and Neil Gorsuch, the Republican appointees who joined the liberals in striking down the tariffs.

Trump claimed Roberts, Barrett and Gorsuch were “fools and lapdogs of RINOs [Republicans-in-name-only] and the radical left Democrats.”

“They’re very unpatriotic and disloyal to our Constitution,” he added. “It’s my opinion that the court has been swayed by foreign interests and a political movement that’s far smaller than people would ever think.”

Asked if he regretted nominating Barrett and Gorsuch in his first term, Trump said he wouldn’t say but added that he thought them joining the court’s majority opinion was an “embarrassment to their families, if you want to know the truth.”

In addition to attacking specific justices, Trump criticized the Roberts Court as a whole for being too “politically correct” on certain cases, though he specifically singled out voting.

Trump criticized the Roberts Court for being too “politically correct” on certain cases, though he specifically singled out voting.

“Others think they are being politically correct, which has happened before far too often with certain members of this court. And it’s happened so often with this court,” he said. “What a shame — having to do with voting in particular.”

Trump personally thanked Justices Clarence Thomas, Samuel Alito, and Brett Kavanaugh —  another one of his first term appointments — for dissenting from the majority’s decision against the tariffs.

Since returning to office, Trump has relentlessly attacked lower court judges for being “rogue” or “bad” when they’ve ruled against his administration’s policies. However, until Thursday, Trump had largely held off on directly condemning justices in the rare moments they’ve rebuffed his aggressive attempts to expand presidential power.

Attacks on the Supreme Court weren’t limited to just Trump. Reacting in a social media post, Vice President JD Vance said the ruling was “lawlessness from the Court, plain and simple.”

The court’s majority specifically ruled that the International Emergency Economic Powers Act does not authorize the president to levy import taxes on international goods because only the Constitution gives Congress taxation powers.

Despite the ruling, Trump said he would respond by using separate authorities to keep the tariffs in place, though there are clear statutory limitations with the other laws. He also said he wouldn’t have to work with Congress on his tariff policy, which is at odds with Thursday’s ruling.

This story has been updated with additional information.