Comments made by Supreme Court Justice Amy Coney Barrett during oral arguments on Thursday faced significant backlash from certain factions within the MAGA movement, with detractors online asserting that President Donald Trump erred greatly in appointing her to the Court.
The justices were deliberating a case focused on the extent of lower courts’ power to obstruct Trump’s executive order, which seeks to terminate birthright citizenship. This order pertains to the automatic granting of U.S. citizenship to children born on American territory, irrespective of their parents’ immigration status, as stipulated by a clause in the 14th Amendment.
During the hearing, Justice Amy Coney Barrett challenged the solicitor general with incisive inquiries regarding the Trump administration’s management of and adherence to judicial decisions.
Coney Barrett, who was appointed by President Trump in 2020, has occasionally adopted a more centrist position than many of her supporters expected. She has faced criticism from certain right-wing factions for aligning with her more liberal colleagues in previous rulings.
Recent tensions between the executive and judicial branches have intensified. In March, after President Trump suggested the removal of a judge who opposed his deportation policies, Chief Justice John Roberts delivered an unusual public admonition. Although he did not mention Trump by name, Roberts remarked that impeachment is ‘not an appropriate response’ to a disagreement with a judge’s decision.
During the oral arguments on Thursday, Barrett inquired of Solicitor General D. John Sauer if the Trump administration intended to maintain the option of potentially disregarding a Second Circuit precedent, for instance, in New York, due to a possible disagreement with the ruling.
Sauer stated that the prevailing approach is to honor those precedents; however, there are situations in which this is not an absolute practice.
Barrett subsequently inquired if he was implying that this was the ‘general practice’ of the Trump administration in particular, or of the federal government overall. Sauer replied that, to his knowledge, it is the ‘long-standing practice of the Department of Justice.’
The solicitor general stated that, as it was conveyed to me, we typically adhere to circuit precedent; however, this is not applicable in every instance. There are circumstances where we may engage in litigation to seek the overruling of that circuit precedent, among other considerations.
Are you still asserting that generally? Do you maintain that it is typically the enduring policy of the federal government to adopt that stance?
The manner of questioning and the hostility directed towards Sauer received criticism from Trump supporters on the internet.
A user on the X platform, previously known as Twitter, by the name of ‘Spitfire,’ who includes ‘America First’ in their biography, stated: ‘Justice Barrett was a significant error. Her disdain for the Trump Administration is evident in her questioning style.’
The Undercurrent, identifying itself as ‘conservative with a sense of humor,’ remarked: ‘Oh Amy Coney Barrett… We had such high expectations.’ ‘Amy Coney Barrett (ACB) is once again demonstrating that she might be the most disappointing Supreme Court nominee ever selected by a Republican.
She holds a lifetime position on the Supreme Court due to Donald Trump, yet her contempt for the Trump administration is palpable,’ stated MAGA influencer Cash Loren.
One user remarked, ‘President Trump advocated vigorously on her behalf.’
“If she is unable to detach her emotions and maintain fairness and impartiality, it would be prudent for her to resign,” remarked another individual. “We are inundated with deception,” stated another user.
Trump expressed his views on the Supreme Court via his Truth Social account, without criticizing the justices. “The Radical Left, which has exhausted its illegal tactics, is systematically attempting to influence the United States Supreme Court.
They suffered a significant defeat in the Election, resulting in a complete loss of confidence and rationality. Their behavior is utterly irrational! I hope the Supreme Court remains unaffected by their manipulative strategies,” he stated.
