Supreme Court Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson Addresses Grammy Criticism, Tariff Ruling

Jackson defends her attendance at the Grammys and discusses the court's deliberation on Trump's tariffs.

Published on Feb. 11, 2026

Got story updates? Submit your updates here. ›

Supreme Court Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson responded to criticism from Sen. Marsha Blackburn about her attendance at the Grammy Awards, saying it was part of her job to do public outreach and education. Jackson also discussed the court's ongoing deliberation on President Trump's tariffs, stating the justices are being thorough in their decision-making process.

Why it matters

Jackson's appearance at the Grammys sparked political controversy, with some Republicans criticizing her for attending an event they viewed as "brazenly political." Meanwhile, the Supreme Court's ruling on Trump's tariffs is highly anticipated, as it could have significant economic and foreign policy implications.

The details

During a CBS Mornings interview, Jackson said the Supreme Court is "going through its process of deliberation" on the tariffs case and that the American people expect the court to be "thorough and clear" in its determinations. Jackson also addressed her Grammy nomination and loss, saying "if you're going to lose, I mean, you might as well lose to the Dalai Lama, for sure."

  • On February 10, 2026, Jackson discussed the Supreme Court's tariffs case on CBS Mornings.
  • On February 11, 2026, Jackson appeared on The View to further discuss her Grammy attendance.

The players

Ketanji Brown Jackson

A Supreme Court Justice who recently attended the Grammy Awards and is awaiting the court's ruling on President Trump's tariffs.

Marsha Blackburn

A Republican Senator from Tennessee who criticized Jackson for attending the "brazenly political" Grammy Awards.

Dalai Lama

The spiritual leader of Tibetan Buddhism who won the Grammy award that Jackson was nominated for.

Donald Trump

The former President whose tariffs are the subject of a highly anticipated Supreme Court ruling.

Whoopi Goldberg

A co-host of The View who defended Jackson's attendance at the Grammys.

Got photos? Submit your photos here. ›

What they’re saying

“The court is going through its process of deliberation. The American people expect for us to be thorough and clear in our determinations and sometimes that takes time.”

— Ketanji Brown Jackson, Supreme Court Justice (CBS Mornings)

“If you're going to lose, I mean, you might as well lose to the Dalai Lama, for sure.”

— Ketanji Brown Jackson, Supreme Court Justice (The View)

“Another part of the job, actually my job, is public outreach and education. I thought this is a great opportunity to highlight my work in this ways and to see what's happening at the Grammy's.”

— Ketanji Brown Jackson, Supreme Court Justice (The View)

What’s next

The Supreme Court is expected to issue its ruling on President Trump's tariffs in the coming months.

The takeaway

Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson's attendance at the Grammy Awards sparked political controversy, but she defended it as part of her role in public outreach and education. Meanwhile, the court is carefully deliberating its highly anticipated decision on Trump's tariffs, which could have significant economic and foreign policy implications.