Trump Calls Two of His Supreme Court Picks 'Sicken Me' After Tariff Ruling
Trump on March 25 attacked Justices Gorsuch and Barrett after the Feb. 20 6-3 ruling that blocked his tariff authority, prompting Chief Justice Roberts' March 17 rebuke.
Daily BeastTrump Blasts SCOTUS Justices He Appointed for ‘Hurting Our Country’
USA TODAYTrump says Supreme Court justices who ruled against him 'sicken me'
Western JournalTrump Tears Into 2 of His Supreme Court Appointees: 'They Sicken Me'
New York PostTrump seethes at 2 of his Supreme Court picks over tariff ruling: ‘They sicken me’
Overview
President Donald Trump on March 25 told a National Republican Congressional Committee fundraising dinner that Justices Neil Gorsuch and Amy Coney Barrett 'sicken' him and are 'bad for our country,' according to his remarks.
The comments followed the Supreme Court's Feb. 20 6-3 decision that held the International Emergency Economic Powers Act did not authorize the sweeping tariffs he imposed, according to the court's opinion.
Chief Justice John Roberts said on March 17 that 'personally directed hostility is dangerous and it's got to stop,' responding to criticism of the judiciary, his remarks show.
The ruling could require the government to refund roughly $165 to $175 billion in tariffs, and the majority included Justices Gorsuch and Barrett joining Justices Sonia Sotomayor, Elena Kagan, John Roberts and Ketanji Brown Jackson, according to reports.
Since the ruling, the administration has invoked other tariff authorities including Section 122 and opened Section 301 investigations into nearly 80 countries, and Mr. Trump has urged Republicans to pass a crime bill to 'crack down on rogue judges,' according to reports.
Analysis
Center-leaning sources frame the story as a sharp clash between the president and the court, using loaded descriptors ("bombshell") and emotive verbs ("fumed") to foreground Trump's outrage and alleged financial stakes. They balance this with source content—Roberts' legal reasoning and Trump quotes—but prioritize conflict and cost in structure and emphasis.
FAQ
In a 6-3 decision on February 20, 2026, in Learning Resources, Inc. v. Trump, the Court held that the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA) does not authorize the President to impose tariffs.
Justices Gorsuch and Barrett joined Chief Justice Roberts, and Justices Sotomayor, Kagan, and Jackson in the 6-3 majority ruling against IEEPA tariff authority.
On March 25, 2026, at a National Republican Congressional Committee fundraising dinner, Trump said Justices Gorsuch and Barrett 'sicken' him and are 'bad for our country.'
On March 17, Chief Justice Roberts stated that 'personally directed hostility is dangerous and it's got to stop,' in response to Trump's attacks on the judiciary.
The administration terminated IEEPA-based tariffs via executive order on February 20, 2026, invoked Section 122 for new 10% tariffs, and opened Section 301 investigations into nearly 80 countries.
