Just days after criticizing the Supreme Court for striking down many of his tariffs, Donald Trump avoided confrontation when he came face-to-face with several justices during his State of the Union address.
The court recently ruled 6-3 that most of Trump’s tariffs were unlawful. The majority opinion was written by Chief Justice John Roberts. Despite his earlier sharp criticism, Trump limited his remarks during the speech, calling the ruling “disappointing” and “unfortunate.”
President Donald Trump called out the Supreme Court justices at the State of the Union address on Tuesday, calling their recent ruling against his sweeping tariffs “unfortunate.” CNN’s Kaitlan Collins reports.
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Justices in Attendance
Several members of the high court were present in the chamber, including:
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John Roberts
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Amy Coney Barrett
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Elena Kagan
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Brett Kavanaugh
Barrett and Kagan joined Roberts in the majority opinion overturning the tariffs. Kavanaugh dissented in the case and was previously praised by Trump. When entering the chamber, Trump shook hands with each justice but did not single anyone out during his speech. The justices, following tradition, remained expressionless and refrained from applauding.
A Sharp Contrast From Earlier Remarks
Trump’s restrained tone stood in contrast to his reaction days earlier, when he publicly criticized the justices in the majority, calling them unpatriotic and suggesting outside influence. Notably, two of the justices in the majority Barrett and Neil Gorsuch were appointed by Trump.
The moment echoed past tensions between presidents and the court. In 2010, during a State of the Union address, President Barack Obama criticized a Supreme Court ruling on campaign finance, prompting visible reactions from some justices.
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Tradition Meets Political Reality
Supreme Court justices typically attend the State of the Union in their official capacity but avoid public displays of approval or disagreement. Chief Justice Roberts has previously questioned the political tone of the event, describing it as increasingly resembling a “political pep rally.”
This year’s address once again highlighted the delicate balance between the executive branch and the nation’s highest court.
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