Washington — In a recent statement, Supreme Court Justice Neil Gorsuch dismissed former President Trump’s assertion that justices should exhibit loyalty to their presidential appointers, clarifying that his allegiance lies solely with the Constitution and the laws of the United States.
President Trump has consistently criticized the Supreme Court, particularly for its 6-3 decision in February that invalidated his most extensive tariffs. Gorsuch, alongside Justice Amy Coney Barrett—both appointed by Trump—was part of the majority that rendered this decision, leading the former president to direct pointed criticism towards them.
In a post on Truth Social last month, Trump remarked that justices nominated by Democratic presidents show unwavering solidarity, stating they are “totally loyal to the people and ideology that got them there.” He contrasted this with “certain Republican Appointees,” who he claimed allow themselves to be influenced by Democrats, seeking popularity and political correctness while neglecting loyalty to their nominators and the ideologies they represent.
During an interview with CBS News chief legal correspondent Jan Crawford, Gorsuch emphasized that a justice’s primary obligation is to the law, not to any individual president. “My loyalty is to the Constitution, the laws of the United States,” he affirmed, noting that this principle is grounded in the oath he took. “It’s really just that simple.”
Having been appointed to the Supreme Court in 2017 at the age of 49, Gorsuch highlighted the rationale behind granting federal judges lifetime appointments. “You’ve given nine old people life tenure,” he remarked. “But you give them life tenure if you believe their role is to apply the law impartially, free from external influences, politics, or any distractions.”
He expressed confidence in the constitutional framework of the federal judiciary, stating, “Do I care what people say left, right, center about me? Nah.”
In other news, Gorsuch, along with co-author Janie Nitze, has released a children’s book titled “Heroes of 1776: The Story of the Declaration of Independence,” which became available on Tuesday.
Beyond his criticisms of the Supreme Court’s tariff ruling, Trump has suggested that he expects the Court will also rule against his executive order aimed at terminating birthright citizenship. Having attended the oral arguments for this case last month, he commented on social media, “based on the questioning by Republican Nominated Justices that I watched firsthand in the Court, we lose.”
The Supreme Court has faced scrutiny from both sides of the political spectrum. Recently, it was criticized by Democrats for a ruling that weakened a critical provision of the Voting Rights Act, with House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries denouncing the court as “illegitimate” and the conservative justices as “extremists.”
These controversies, including the Court’s 2022 decision reversing Roe v. Wade and its 2024 ruling on presidential immunity, have reignited discussions about reforming the Supreme Court. On Monday, Maryland Democratic Representative Johnny Olszewski proposed a constitutional amendment to impose 18-year term limits on justices. Nevertheless, similar proposals to expand the Court have struggled to gain traction in Congress, particularly in the Senate, where most legislation requires a supermajority of 60 votes to advance.
The number of Supreme Court justices was established at nine in 1869, and Gorsuch stated that this arrangement has “worked reasonably well,” a sentiment echoed by the late Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg in 2019. He cautioned reform advocates to thoroughly understand the history of the Supreme Court and to consider the implications of any proposed changes.
“You may have some great ideas about reforming things and they might be right,” Gorsuch suggested. “Make sure you know what you’re reforming before you tinker with it. Once you start tinkering, you expect other people to tinker. And then where does it end?”
