The Hill
President Trump lashed out at the Supreme Court again on Friday, voicing deep frustration with “a number” of recent decisions that have included the rejection of his signature tariff policy and his attempts to federalize the National Guard, among other setbacks.
“I think the Supreme Court ought to be ashamed of itself for a lot of reasons, ok?” Trump said during a roundtable at the White House centered on college sports and reforms to the NCAA.
“I got to live with these people. And I say this…and they’ll only vote bad, and I couldn’t care less at this point,” he continued, “They have hurt this country so badly because they haven’t had the guts to do what’s right.”
The comment came amid a discussion about the impact of the Supreme Court’s 2021 decision in NCAA v. Alston, in which the court ruled 9-0 that the collegiate sports association’s restrictions on education-related benefits for student athletes violated federal antitrust law.
Shortly after that decision was handed down, the NCAA adopted its policy allowing athletes to earn compensation for their name, image and likeness (NIL).
Trump on Friday described the current NIL landscape as a “disaster” and pushed for a return to the previous scholarship-based system.
“Everybody was happy, and now you got yourself a mess,” he said, announcing plans for an executive order that he expects to face a court challenge.
“I just don’t think it’s right that a judge is allowed — that knows nothing — is allowed to destroy college sports and colleges,” the president continued. “And I’d like to see you go back to where you were, enhance it a little bit through some compensation, and let them take you to court because no matter what you do, you’re going to be sued.”
His ire with the Supreme Court has been on full display since the justices struck down the bulk of his tariff agenda in a 6-3 decision late last month.
The majority ruled that Trump’s expanded use of the 1977 International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA) — a law that allows a president to “regulate” international commerce during a declared national emergency — exceeded his authority.
“Very unfortunate ruling,” the president said during his annual State of the Union address, as three of the justices who joined the majority sat expressionless in front of him.
