President Trump launched a scathing attack against a judge he appointed and conservative activist Leonard Leo, following the U.S. Court of International Trade's ruling on Wednesday that overturned his sweeping tariffs.
Trump took to TruthSocial to chastize the former Federalist Society chairman, branding him “a real “sleazebag,” despite Leo once being considered an architect of Trump 2.0, with strong links to the controversial Project 2025.
“It was suggested that I use The Federalist Society as a recommending source on Judges. I did so, openly and freely, but then realized that they were under the thumb of a real “sleazebag” named Leonard Leo, a bad person who, in his own way, probably hates America, and obviously has his own separate ambitions”, Trump wrote late Thursday evening.
Three judges blocked Trump’s tariffs Wednesday in a seismic ruling that declared the president had overstepped in invoking a 1977 federal economic emergency law to impose his tariffs on nearly every nation.
White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt condemned the decision as a flagrant example of “judicial overreach.”
Trump appointed Judge Timothy M. Reif, who ruled against the tariffs, to the U.S. Court of International Trade in 2018.
However, just a day later, Trump’s tariffs were temporarily reinstated by a federal appeals court, which said the tariffs could remain in place while the court "considers the motions paper.”
The White House is expected to take the case to the Supreme Court should the ruling go against the administration.
Trump continued to slate Leo, writing that “he openly brags how he controls Judges, and even Justices of the United States Supreme Court — I hope that is not so, and don’t believe it is! In any event, Leo left The Federalist Society to do his own ‘thing’.” Adding “I am so disappointed in the Federalist Society because of the bad advice they gave me on numerous Judicial Nominations.”
The president said that the blockade was “something that cannot be forgotten” while simultaneously praising several picks but expressing disappointment in others.
Trump went on to claim that “it is only because of my successful use of Tariffs that many Trillions of Dollars have already begun pouring into the U.S.A. from other Countries, money that, without these Tariffs, we would not be able to get.”
New York State Governor Kathy Hochul said the Wednesday ruling on the tariffs was “a resounding victory for New Yorkers, American consumers and the rule of law”, adding that “these reckless and unauthorized tariffs have burdened businesses with skyrocketing costs that have been passed along to consumers and wreaked havoc on our 401Ks – all without the legal authority to do so”, as CBS Albany reported.
In a statement to Politico, Leo did not condemn the President, writing, “I’m very grateful for President Trump transforming the Federal Courts, and it was a privilege being involved.
“There’s more work to be done, for sure, but the Federal Judiciary is better than it’s ever been in modern history, and that will be President Trump’s most important legacy”, Leo said.
Trump’s thrashing on Truth Social illustrated the ongoing feud between his administration and the “Radical Left Judges” who he believes are capable of “destroying America”.
“Hopefully, the Supreme Court will reverse this horrible, country-threatening decision, QUICKLY and DECISIVELY,” he added in the statement.
The Independent contacted the Federalist Society for comment.
