Donald Trump found himself face-to-face with Supreme Court justices who had recently ruled against his tariff policies, during a high-profile encounter at the State of the Union address.

In an extraordinary scene, the four justices who attended the address were compelled to maintain a stoic demeanor as President Trump openly criticized their decision before a joint session of Congress, administration officials, and an international audience.

The moment unfolded shortly after Trump exchanged polite handshakes with the justices, seated prominently in the front row during the event held on Capitol Hill. He then launched into a critique of their ruling, which had been issued just four days prior.

“Just four days ago, an unfortunate ruling from the United States Supreme Court. Oh, very unfortunate ruling,” Trump lamented, expressing his dissatisfaction with their judgment.

Despite the president’s pointed remarks, Chief Justice John Roberts and Justice Amy Coney Barrett, both appointed by Republicans, maintained composed expressions. Notably, these justices had joined their liberal counterparts in opposing Trump’s extensive tariff initiatives.

Also present in the audience were Justice Elena Kagan, appointed by former President Barack Obama, and Justice Brett Kavanaugh, another Trump appointee. Their presence underscored the diverse judicial perspectives that had coalesced to challenge the president’s trade policies.

Trump insisted that, despite the 6-3 ruling, most countries and businesses have decided to keep the deals they negotiated with the US. 

He said that he could make the tariffs even worse if he wanted to and threatened to do so at a press conference last week.

President Donald Trump shared cordial hand shakes with the four Supreme Court justices who attended his State of the Union address on Tuesday

Left to right: Chief Justice John Roberts, Justice Elena Kagan, Justice Brett Kavanaugh and Justice Amy Coney Barrett, attend Trump’s State of the Union at the US Capitol on Tuesday, February 24, 2026

Justice Amy Coney Barrett – a Trump-appointee – remained stone-faced as the president ripped into the majority decision that she joined

They don’t want to ‘make a new deal that would be far worse for them,’ Trump insisted.

‘Therefore, they will continue to work along the same successful path that we had negotiated before the Supreme Court’s unfortunate involvement,’ he said.

Trump’s cordial handshakes with justices came after he publicly excoriated the ruling against his landmark tariff policies, calling them ‘disloyal’ and an ’embarrassment to their families.’

Tuesday marked the first time Trump came face-to-face with any of the justices after their Friday ruling.

‘His expression as he walked past the judges looked especially somber,’ body language expert Judi James told the Daily Mail, noting a ‘fading, high-pitched vocal tone of a ‘disappointed’ headmaster’ as he ‘roasted’ the justices. 

James said that the faces of the justices ‘were held in expressionless close-up by the camera, although they appeared keen to return the eye contact from the stage.’ 

The only justice at his remarks the president was likely pleased to see was Brett Kavanaugh, who joined the dissent with Justices Clarence Thomas and Samual Alito to argue that Trump’s tariffs should be able to remain.

The rejection comes despite the President having the benefit of a conservative majority. He appointed three Supreme Court Justices in his first term – Neil Gorsuch, Kavanaugh and Barrett.

Despite the Court’s 6-3 rightward lean, Gorsuch and Barrett ruled against the President on Friday, while Kavanaugh penned the dissent in support of Trump.

The president was furious. He claimed that ‘foreign influence’ and political machinations scared the justices into ruling against him.

He called an emergency press briefing at the White House where he called Amy Comey Barrett and Neil Gorsuch traitors and an ’embarrassment to their families.’ 

He said he was ‘ashamed’ of them and claimed they were ‘disloyal to the Constitution.’

Department of War Secretary Pete Hegseth shakes hands with Chief Justice Roberts as they arrive for the State of the Union

Trump called an emergency press conference at the White House on Friday, February 20, 2026 after the Supreme Court ruled against his tariff policies

Two justices that Trump nominated joined the majority opinion to rule against the tariffs  

Trump complained that conservative justices are not as loyal as liberal ones are to Democratic presidents. 

The Court ruled that Trump was overreaching his executive powers when it came to the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA).

During his fifth State of the Union address to a joint session of Congress on Tuesday evening, Trump had the chance see in-person four Supreme Court justices for the first time since that ruling.

At the Friday press conference, Trump glowed about Justice Kavanaugh – the lone justice he picked who ruled the tariffs should stay in place.

He was joined in the dissent by conservative Justices Clarence Thomas and Samual Alito, who is rumored to be considering stepping down before the end of the current president’s term so Trump gets yet another pick.

With a 6-3 conservative majority on the court – and three being trump picks – it was hard to imagine an instance where the current president faced dissent on one of his policies.

He said as much during his tirade in the James S. Brady Press Briefing Room on Friday.

‘The Supreme Court’s ruling on tariffs is deeply disappointing, and I’m ashamed of certain members of the Court. Absolutely ashamed for not having the courage to do what’s right for our country,’ the president said before taking questions.

‘It’s my opinion that the court has been swayed by foreign interests and a political movement that is far smaller than people would ever think,’ he alleged without proof.

The Supreme Court building is right across from the US Capitol, will Trump will address a joint session of Congress on Tuesday, February 24, 2026

The president also spun the legal defeat into a win, saying that now he has a greater ability to regulate trade. 

‘While I am sure that they did not mean to do so, the Supreme Court’s decision today made a President’s ability to both regulate trade and impose tariffs more powerful and more crystal clear rather than less,’ Trump said. ‘I don’t think they meant that.’

The president continued to tear into the conservative justices on Truth Social that day, accusing Gorsuch and Barrett of voting against Republicans ‘and never against themselves.’

‘At least I didn’t appoint Roberts, who led the effort to allow Foreign Countries that have been ripping us off for years to continue to do so — But we won’t let it happen. The new TARIFFS, totally tested and accepted as Law, are on their way!’ Trump continued.

On Monday, he said on social media that he would refer to the highest US court with lowercase letters because he doesn’t have respect for them.