Trump Criticizes Supreme Court Justices After Mail-In Ballot Ruling

Former President Donald Trump publicly criticized several Supreme Court justices, including some he appointed, following the court's decision to block his administration's efforts to implement changes to mail-in voting procedures before the November midterm elections. In a post on his social media platform Truth Social, Trump stated that unnamed "Certain Justices" appeared "petrified of these crazed and depraved Democrats" and that they were "merely a shell of their original selves."

Trump appointed Neil Gorsuch, Brett Kavanaugh, and Amy Coney Barrett to the Supreme Court during his presidency. His administration had sought an emergency order to restrict mail-in ballots, citing a need to prevent electoral fraud. However, the Supreme Court issued a one-paragraph unsigned order denying this request. Justice Kavanaugh, in a separate concurrence, noted that while the U.S. Postal Service might have the authority to implement restrictions, doing so for the upcoming elections would be "arbitrary and capricious" due to insufficient time for election officials to adapt.

This ruling has significant implications for the midterms, as mail-in ballots are used by approximately 30% of voters nationwide. Trump expressed his dismay in his Truth Social post, writing, "The Court’s inability and unwillingness to do the right thing for our Country will go down, in a very negative way, in the annals of History." He further asserted that the court was "bullied and cajoled by the Radical Left into making decisions that have set America back at least a hundred years."

Trump specifically lauded Justices Samuel Alito and Clarence Thomas, who dissented from the majority order, calling them "legends both." Justice Alito's dissent argued that the USPS possesses broad authority over mail regulations and could likely implement Trump's preferred limits. He also criticized the plaintiff states for challenging the restrictions, suggesting their legal actions contributed to delays.

Despite the Supreme Court's denial, Trump's efforts to limit mail voting are expected to continue. Attorney General Todd Blanche stated that while the administration would comply with the court's order, "President Trump’s efforts to make sure that we have free and fair elections are not going to stop just in November or after or thereafter."

Since their appointments, Gorsuch, Kavanaugh, and Barrett have delivered some victories for Trump and his conservative agenda. However, they have not consistently formed a unified bloc in favor of Trump's positions. In February, Barrett and Gorsuch joined Chief Justice John Roberts and the majority in ruling against Trump's emergency order tariffs, a decision Trump called "deeply disappointing." In June, Barrett and Kavanaugh were part of the majority that rejected the Trump administration's attempt to redefine birthright citizenship through executive actions. Kavanaugh also joined the majority in denying Trump's request to remove Federal Reserve Governor Lisa Cook.

On immigration matters, Barrett and Kavanaugh ruled with the majority in December to block the deployment of the National Guard in Chicago as Trump had attempted. Earlier that year, all three appointees had voted to temporarily block the Trump administration from deporting a group of immigrants in Northern Texas under the Alien Enemies Act.

While Democratic lawmakers have pushed for Supreme Court reforms, characterizing the court as pro-Trump, Chief Justice Roberts and other associate justices have denied such partisanship. However, Donald B. Verrilli Jr., a former solicitor general during the Obama Administration, stated that "This is not a MAGA court," a sentiment Trump appears to contradict with his public criticisms.