Trump Criticizes 2 Supreme Court Justices He Appointed

The former president says Gorsuch and Barrett "sicken him" over a tariffs ruling.

Mar. 26, 2026 at 8:05pm

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Former President Donald Trump lashed out at two Supreme Court justices he appointed, Neil Gorsuch and Amy Coney Barrett, for joining a 6-3 ruling that struck down his use of "reciprocal" tariffs. Trump called the justices "bad for our country" and said they "sicken me" during a National Republican Congressional Committee dinner in Washington.

Why it matters

Trump's public criticism of his own Supreme Court appointees is highly unusual and reflects the deep divisions within the Republican party. The ruling against the president's tariffs also highlights the limits of executive power and the independence of the judiciary, even when the president has appointed a majority of the justices.

The details

The case, Learning Resources Inc. v. Trump, centered on whether the president could rely on the International Emergency Economic Powers Act to unilaterally impose tariffs on imports. The Supreme Court ruled 6-3 that the statute's wording could not support such sweeping authority, with Gorsuch and Barrett joining the majority opinion written by Chief Justice John Roberts. Trump's third appointee, Brett Kavanaugh, dissented alongside Justices Samuel Alito and Clarence Thomas.

  • On March 26, 2026, Trump made the comments at a National Republican Congressional Committee dinner in Washington.

The players

Donald Trump

The former president of the United States who appointed Justices Gorsuch and Barrett to the Supreme Court.

Neil Gorsuch

A Supreme Court justice appointed by former President Trump.

Amy Coney Barrett

A Supreme Court justice appointed by former President Trump.

John Roberts

The Chief Justice of the United States who wrote the majority opinion in the tariffs case.

Brett Kavanaugh

A Supreme Court justice appointed by former President Trump who dissented in the tariffs case.

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What they’re saying

“Two of the people that voted for that, I appointed, and they sicken me. They sicken me because they're bad for our country.”

— Donald Trump, Former President

The takeaway

Trump's public criticism of his own Supreme Court appointees highlights the deep partisan divisions in the country and the challenges facing the judiciary in maintaining its independence, even when the president has appointed a majority of the justices.