Wall Street Journal Editorial Board Denounces Trump's Supreme Court Outburst
The editorial board of The Wall Street Journal issued a scathing condemnation of former President Donald Trump's reaction to a Supreme Court ruling that restricted his ability to impose tariffs. In a strongly worded editorial published Friday night, the board stated that Trump "owes" an apology "to the individual Justices he smeared on Friday and the institution itself."
"Worst Moment of His Presidency"
The editorial, headlined "Trump Demeans Himself as He Attacks the Supreme Court," characterized Trump's response as "arguably the worst moment of his Presidency." The board wrote that while Trump likely wouldn't offer an apology, his rant following the tariff defeat represented a particularly low point in his administration.
Supreme Court's 6-3 Ruling on Tariffs
The controversy stems from a significant Supreme Court decision that struck down most of the "emergency" tariffs Trump attempted to implement. In a 6-3 ruling, the Court found that the International Emergency Economic Powers Act did not authorize the president to impose these tariffs. The dissenting justices in the case were conservative members Samuel Alito, Clarence Thomas, and Brett Kavanaugh.
Trump's Explosive Response
Following the court's decision, Trump launched into a furious tirade against the justices who ruled against him. At a Friday press conference, he called them a "disgrace" and declared their decision an "embarrassment to their families." Trump went further, accusing certain members of the court of being "politically correct" and serving as "fools and lapdogs for the RINOS and the radical left Democrats."
Editorial Board's Strong Criticism
The Rupert Murdoch-owned newspaper described Trump's meltdown as "ugly even by Mr. Trump's standards." The editorial board specifically criticized Trump for "accusing them of betraying the U.S. at the behest of nefarious interests he didn't identify, no doubt because they don't exist."
Warning About Potential Violence
In a particularly grave section of the editorial, the board warned that Trump's rhetoric "could cause some deranged Trump acolyte to turn to violence against a Justice." The editorial expressed hope that all justices would attend the upcoming State of the Union address as a show of "self-protective solidarity."
Fault Lies With Trump's "Tariff Obsessions"
The editorial concluded by stating that Trump "shouldn't have been surprised by the Court" since the newspaper had warned from the beginning that his use of the International Emergency Economic Powers Act for tariffs would be found unlawful. The board emphasized that "the fault doesn't lie with the Justices but with his own tariff obsessions."
