President Donald Trump on Tuesday called the Supreme Court’s rejection of mail ballot restrictions “a big loss for Republicans, and America itself.”
Trump sharply criticized the justices after the court Monday declined to allow his administration’s new mail ballot rules to take effect ahead of November’s midterm elections, leaving in place a lower-court injunction.
“Republicans just got another bad decision from the United States Supreme Court,” Trump wrote in a lengthy Truth Social post, calling mail-in voting a “disaster” and alleging the ruling would make cheating easier for Democrats.
“The Supreme Court has really let our Country down!” Trump added.
The court’s brief order means states can continue using their existing mail ballot procedures for the midterms, when control of Congress will be decided.
Nearly one-third of U.S. voters cast their ballots by mail.
The Trump administration’s plan would require states to use standardized envelopes and submit lists of eligible voters through an online portal.
The Postal Service could refuse to deliver ballots for states that failed to comply.
State officials and voting-rights groups challenged the requirements, arguing the administration lacked authority to impose them and that changing voting procedures so close to the election could cause widespread disruption.
Lower courts blocked the rules.
Alito, joined by Thomas, argued the government had met the requirements necessary for a stay and said the court was wrong to leave the injunction intact.
Justice Brett Kavanaugh agreed the rules should not take effect for the midterms but indicated the administration could ultimately prevail in the dispute.
Trump singled out Alito and Thomas for praise, calling both “legends” who “strongly disagreed” with the decision.
The president broadened his criticism to several other major Supreme Court rulings, including decisions involving tariffs and birthright citizenship.
He accused some justices of being intimidated by Democrats and said the court had issued decisions causing long-term damage to the country.
Trump acknowledged that publicly attacking the nation’s highest court could carry political consequences but said he considered speaking out part of his responsibility as president.
“It is not easy for me to write this criticism of the United States Supreme Court,” Trump wrote, adding that he nevertheless felt it was his “obligation and duty, as President,” to do so.
The administration had previously won a procedural victory in the dispute when the Supreme Court allowed the Postal Service to proceed with rulemaking without deciding whether the resulting requirements were lawful.