Trump Slams His Own SCOTUS Pick, “I’ll Criticize Judges!”
President Trump on Tuesday said the courts aren’t helping the administration in its attempts to strengthen the country’s vetting procedures to weed out potential terrorists.
“We’re also taking decisive action to improve our vetting procedures,” Trump said, speaking at the National Republican Congressional Committee dinner.
“The courts are not helping us, I have to be honest with you. It’s ridiculous. Somebody said I should not criticize judges. OK, I’ll criticize judges.”
Earlier this year, Trump blasted James Robart, the federal judge for the Western District of Washington who placed a halt on Trump’s initial travel ban. The president referred to Robart as a “so-called judge.”
During the campaign, he also attacked the judge hearing a lawsuit against Trump’s defunct real estate education program, Trump University, saying that his Mexican heritage makes him unable to be impartial.
On Tuesday, Supreme Court nominee Neil Gorsuch said during his confirmation hearing that he finds the president’s criticism of judges’ integrity “disheartening and demoralizing.”
“I know these people and how decent they are, and when anyone criticizes the honesty, integrity and motives of a federal judge, I find that disheartening and demoralizing because I know the truth,” Gorsuch told Sen. Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.).
“Anyone including the president of the United States?” Blumenthal asked.
“Anyone is anyone,” Gorsuch replied.
Earlier this month, a federal judge in Hawaii issued a temporary restraining order on parts of the president’s revised travel ban.
(h/t The Hill)
Media
Trump: "The courts are not helping us…it's ridiculous. Someone said I should not criticize judges. OK, I'll criticize judges." pic.twitter.com/mYzCbpyfH0
— Steve Kopack (@SteveKopack) March 22, 2017