Amy Coney Barrett, appointed to the U.S. Supreme Court by Donald Trump in 2020, has made several decisions that have upset many in Trump’s MAGA base. Known for supporting key conservative causes, she voted to limit abortion rights by overturning Roe v. Wade, end affirmative action in college admissions, and protect Trump from criminal prosecution. But recently, she made a move that angered Trump supporters.
Last week, Barrett sided with one conservative and three liberal justices to block Trump’s plan to freeze foreign aid. The decision led to a wave of criticism online, with many calling her “evil,” a “DEI hire,” and a “closet Democrat.” Some even compared her to climate activist Greta Thunberg.
This was the second time in just two months that Barrett voted against Trump-backed policies. The first was a decision to prevent Trump from firing the head of an independent agency. Last week, Barrett again voted with liberal justices, this time to require Trump’s administration to repay $2 billion to global health organizations, further angering his supporters. Some even called for her impeachment, with one post reading, “Amy Coney Barrett was put on the Court to overturn Roe v. Wade. Her work is done. Impeach and remove.”
Many conservative voices were quick to express their frustration. Eric Daugherty, a MAGA supporter, called her an “anti-Trump judge,” while Mike Cernovich accused her of being a “DEI hire,” suggesting her nomination was more about diversity than qualifications.
The situation worsened after a moment at the State of the Union, when Barrett shook hands with Trump. Some Trump supporters claimed she looked at him with disdain, with former Trump adviser Steve Bannon calling it a “stink eye.” (See the video below)
Some conservatives, like Robby Starbuck, argue her appointment was a mistake. “Our standard should be that only people with a Clarence Thomas ideology should be nominated to the court,” he said.
For now, the backlash seems mostly limited to Trump’s base. Trump has stayed quiet on the issue, but some of his allies, like Elon Musk and JD Vance, have questioned the power of judges to block presidential actions. Musk has called for “corrupt” judges to be impeached, while Vance argued that judges should not be able to challenge the president’s legitimate powers.
These comments have led to an increase in threats against the judiciary, according to a report from Reuters. In response, Chief Justice Roberts warned about the dangers of ignoring court rulings that one disagrees with, calling it “dangerous” for elected officials to undermine judicial independence.
