Trump ‘Ashamed’ of Conservatives Who Struck Down Tariffs (1)

President Donald Trump railed against conservative justices who ruled against his sweeping global tariff regime, including two members he appointed.

In remarks at the White House on Friday following release of the blockbuster 6-3 opinion, Trump said he was deeply disappointed in the outcome that undercut his signature economic policy.

“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 in an apparent reference to Chief Justice John Roberts, Amy Coney Barrett, and Neil Gorsuch.

Roberts authored the opinion that also delivered Trump’s biggest legal defeat since he returned to the White House in January 2025.

Barrett and Gorsuch joined Roberts and the court’s three liberals in the majority although the group splintered on some parts of the reasoning.

While not directly identifying those he was unhappy with, Trump name-checked Republican-appointed dissenters Brett Kavanaugh, Samuel Alito, and Clarence Thomas, saying he was “very proud” of them.

“When you read the dissenting opinions, there is no way that anyone can argue against them,” he said. “There’s no way.”

Kavanaugh wrote for the group that Trump “clearly” had the authority to authorize the tariffs under an emergency-powers law.

Trump appointed Barrett, Gorsuch, and Kavanaugh, who’ve so far been a core component of the conservative bloc that’s ruled most of the time in his favor on policy and other matters.

Trump called the liberal bloc of Justices Elena Kagan, Sonia Sotomayor, and Ketanji Brown Jackson disgraceful.

Trump also said in response to a question on any potential future vacancy that he hoped Thomas and Alito would stick around longer. They’re both in their 70s and the subject of some speculation that at least one might retire so Trump can appoint a successor with Republicans controlling the Senate at least through this year.

“They’re great justices,” Trump said. “These are great men.”

Thomas was appointed by George H. W. Bush in 1991, and Alito by George W. Bush in 2006. Both are at the far-end of the conservative spectrum.

Supreme Court justices are appointed for life; some of those who retire plan the timing around who’s in the White House.