In a notable speech at the National Republican Congressional Committee dinner in Washington, D.C., President Donald Trump delivered scathing remarks directed at Justices Neil Gorsuch and Amy Coney Barrett, both of whom he appointed to the Supreme Court. His criticism follows a significant 6-3 ruling that deemed his widely known reciprocal tariffs illegal. He expressed that the justices made him feel “sickened” and asserted that their actions are detrimental to the nation.
Trump stated, "Two of the people that voted for that, I appointed,” referencing the justices without explicitly naming them. He condemned Gorsuch and Barrett, alongside four other justices in the majority, for their failure to exempt the U.S. government from refunding up to $165 billion in tariffs paid by American importers under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA).
He elaborated, “The Supreme Court, that’s right, of the United States cost our country — all they needed was a sentence — our country hundreds of billions of dollars, and they couldn’t care less.” He reiterated his disdain, mentioning that Gorsuch and Barrett "sicken" him and are ultimately bad for the country.
In contrast, Justice Brett Kavanaugh, also appointed by Trump, dissented in the ruling, aligning with fellow conservatives Samuel Alito and Clarence Thomas. The majority opinion contended that the President lacks the unilateral authority to impose tariffs under the IEEPA.
Chief Justice John Roberts, writing for the majority, articulated, “Based on two words separated by 16 others in Section 1702(a)(1)(B) of IEEPA —‘regulate’ and ‘importation’ — the President asserts the independent power to impose tariffs on imports from any country, of any product, at any rate, for any amount of time. Those words cannot bear such weight.”
In response to the ruling, the Trump administration has initiated measures to recoup the lost revenue through temporary global tariffs of 10%, imposed on imports for 150 days, as they await Congressional approval for a possible extension.
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