The president didn’t hold back his disdain for certain members of the Supreme Court for allegedly falling prey to some “real slime balls,” including influences beyond the borders.
(Video Credit: The White House)
Friday in Washington, D.C., President Donald Trump plowed ahead with his economic strategy as he imposed a new 10% global tariff in response to the Supreme Court’s ruling against his use of the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA) to that end. During his announcement, the commander-in-chief leveled serious allegations that members of the bench may have been “swayed by foreign interests and a political movement.”
Without venturing into specifics as to which foreign interests or naming who among the six justices from the majority could be compromised, the president stated early in his remarks from the James S. Brady Briefing Room at the White House, “It’s my opinion that the court has been swayed by foreign interests and a political movement that is far smaller than people would ever think.”
“It’s a small movement. I won by millions of votes. We won in a landslide. With all the cheating that went on — there was a lot of it — we still won in a landslide,” continued Trump. “Too big to rig. But these people are obnoxious, ignorant, and loud, they’re very loud. And I think certain justices are afraid of that. They don’t want to do the right thing.”
Upon completing his prepared remarks, the president fielded questions at which time he was asked to elaborate on the accusation.
“Well, I think that foreign interests are represented by people that I believe have undue influence,” he responded. “They have a lot of influence over the Supreme Court, whether it’s through fear, or respect, or friendships — I don’t know. But I know some of the people that were involved on the other side, and I don’t like ’em. I think they’re real slime balls.”
🚨 WOW: Trump is now openly suggesting the Supreme Court is compromised.
Asked what he meant by “foreign interests,” Trump claimed unnamed people have “undue influence” over the justices — through “fear, respect, or friendships” — and called them “slime balls.” pic.twitter.com/FvwKAkvPud
— Brian Allen (@allenanalysis) February 20, 2026
“And you’ve gotta do what’s right for the country. You’ve gotta do what’s right for the Constitution. That’s why I respect so much Justices Thomas, Alito, Kavanaugh — because they not only dissented, their dissent is so strong,” added Trump who’d lauded Justice Brett Kavanaugh, his second of three appointees from his first administration, particularly as it pertained to citing other statutory authority at the president’s disposal to impose tariffs.
Worth noting, while the Trump-appointed Justices Neil Gorsuch, Amy Coney Barrett and Kavanaugh have each had turns siding against the president on key issues, Justices Clarence Thomas and Samuel Alito have remained steadfast, at times even calling out the supposed “conservative” 6-3 majority of the court.
“No one can fail to be impressed by the lengths to which this Court has been willing to go to defend the [Affordable Care Act] against all threats,” Alito wrote in a 2021 dissent on Obamacare, months after he, Thomas and Gorsuch had dissented from the court’s decision against hearing two Pennsylvania election cases pertaining to the 2020 presidential election. “So a tax that does not tax is allowed to stand and support one of the biggest Government programs in our Nation’s history. Fans of judicial inventiveness will applaud once again.”
Regarding the cases on election integrity and Pennsylvania’s mail-in ballot actions, Thomas had stated in his dissent on the “baffling” decision, “One wonders what this court waits for. We failed to settle this dispute before the election, and thus provide clear rules. Now we again fail to provide clear rules for future elections. The decision to leave election law hidden beneath a shroud of doubt is baffling. By doing nothing, we invite further confusion and erosion of voter confidence. Our fellow citizens deserve better and expect more of us.”
As for allegations of foreign influence on the court, when pressed for evidence, the president had responded, “You’re gonna find out, you’re gonna find out.” That said, they were still invited to attend the State of the Union address on Tuesday, “barely.”
Q: You’ve mentioned multiple times foreign influence over the Supreme Court. Do you have evidence of that?
TRUMP: You’re gonna find out pic.twitter.com/IhekpKRZ2R
— Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) February 20, 2026
REPORTER: The Supreme Court Justices who ruled against the tariffs, are they still invited to your State of the Union?@POTUS: “Yeah, they are invited — barely… Three are happily invited… Honestly, I couldn’t care less if they come.” 🤣 pic.twitter.com/p8ohkSzwpY
— Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) February 20, 2026
Native of Brooklyn, NY, Kevin Haggerty is a graduate of Hunter College where he studied Cultural Anthropology and Geography. An avid reader and truth seeker, he currently resides in Texas with his wife and their dog and, when he isn't researching current events and their impacts, you'll find him spending time with friends and family or working on his next novel.
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