President Donald Trump said Sunday that he expects the Supreme Court to rule against his executive order ending birthright citizenship, while calling on Republican-appointed justices to show 'loyalty' to his administration. The remarks, posted on Truth Social, drew immediate attention given the Supreme Court's constitutionally independent role as a check on executive power.
Trump's Prediction and Call for Loyalty
Trump predicted in his post that the Court 'will be ruling against us on Birthright Citizenship,' singling out two of his own appointees, Justice Neil Gorsuch and Justice Amy Coney Barrett, by name. He argued it is acceptable for justices to be loyal to the presidents who appointed them, writing: 'They have to do the right thing, but it's really OK for them to be loyal to the person that appointed them.' The Supreme Court has not issued a ruling in the case, Trump v. Barbara (2026), nor indicated when it may do so. A decision is expected between late June and early July, AFP reported.
Revisiting Tariff Ruling
Trump's post also revisited the Court's February ruling striking down his sweeping tariff policy, in which the justices found he had exceeded his executive authority. He claimed the ruling cost the United States $159 billion and accused his own appointees of having 'hurt our Country so badly,' AFP reported. He indicated his administration has an alternative path to reimpose similar tariffs, but did not elaborate.
Background on Birthright Citizenship Order
Trump signed the birthright citizenship executive order on the first day of his second term. It sought to end automatic citizenship for children born in the United States to parents who are in the country illegally or on temporary visas. Lower courts blocked the order, citing the 14th Amendment's citizenship clause, which has been interpreted for over a century to grant citizenship to nearly all persons born on US soil.
Oral Arguments and Reactions
The Supreme Court heard oral arguments on April 1. During the session, both the Court's three liberal justices and several conservatives expressed scepticism toward the administration's legal arguments, Live NOW from FOX reported. Trump attended the hearing in person, the first sitting US president to do so, underscoring his personal investment in the outcome.
The American Civil Liberties Union, one of the groups that brought the lawsuit, told AFP the order 'flouts the Constitution's dictates, longstanding Supreme Court precedent, a statute passed by Congress, and fundamental American values.'
Rarity of Open Pressure on Court
AFP noted that open pressure from the White House on the Supreme Court is exceedingly rare. Justices are appointed to lifetime terms specifically to insulate them from political influence, and the Court functions as an independent and equal branch of government.
The current Court has a 6-3 conservative majority. Trump appointed Justices Gorsuch, Barrett, and Brett Kavanaugh during his first term. Despite this, both the tariff ruling and the expected birthright citizenship decision suggest that at least some of his appointees are prepared to rule against the administration on constitutional grounds.
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