When presidents appoint justices to the U.S. Supreme Court and other parts of the federal judiciary, they typically seek to place someone with a judicial philosophy similar to their own who shares their views on the significant issues before the court.
However, it’s never been the standard that Supreme Court justices owe the president who appointed them loyalty or that they’ll always side with what that president wants.
Donald Trump, however, feels differently. Frustrated that some of his policies and positions have been struck down by the courts, including in some cases by judges he appointed, the president has already lashed out at Leonard Leo, the chairman of the conservative legal group The Federal Society, and a man who has recommended many judges to Trump.
Check out this article: https://t.co/890v1YsTwu The courts are a separate branch of government and do not report to Trump. His lame attempts to influence them amount to serious felonies. Lock him up!!!
— Lowry Pierce (@LowryPierce) June 3, 2025
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The problem appears to be that while the established conservative legal movement and Trump’s desired outcomes from the courts are often aligned, there are instances when they are not. Trump’s legal philosophy boils down to “I should be able to do whatever I want,” without the courts blocking me.”
In that spirit, according to CNN, Trump has been privately lashing out of late at Justice Amy Coney Barrett, whom he appointed to the Supreme Court near the end of his first term following the death of Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg.
“President Donald Trump has privately complained that the Supreme Court justices he appointed have not sufficiently stood behind his agenda, according to multiple sources familiar with the conversations. But he has directed particular ire at Justice Amy Coney Barrett, his most recent appointee, one of the sources said,” CNN reported.
Trump has also had complaints about the other two Supreme Court justices he appointed during his first term.
“The behind-closed-doors grievances have been wide-ranging, and while many have been about Barrett, Trump has also expressed frustration about Justices Neil Gorsuch and Brett Kavanaugh, the sources familiar with the matter said. The complaints have gone on for at least a year, the sources said.”
During his second term, Trump has tested the limits of executive power, grounding many of his actions in novel legal theories that have not necessarily stood up in court. The question, for instance, of whether a president can invoke the Alien Enemies Act to deport people to El Salvador did not come up in any of the confirmation hearings of the three justices he appointed.
Photo courtesy of the Political Tribune media library.
