'Shuddering': Architect of Bush torture memos counsels Trump
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U.S. President Donald Trump speaks during a visit at Fort Bragg, North Carolina, U.S., February 13, 2026. REUTERS/Elizabeth Frantz
A former Bush Justice Department official is warning President Donald Trump against smearing the U.S. Supreme Court after the justices delivered a highly anticipated ruling that struck down the legal foundation of his sweeping global tariffs — a major setback for his economic agenda.
“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,” the president said on Friday, as the Guardian reported. Trump said he was "ashamed" of the six justices who sided with the majority opinion. "Absolutely ashamed for not having the courage to do what’s right for our country.”
“They’re just being fools and lapdogs for the Rinos [Republicans in name only] and the radical left Democrats, and not that they should have anything at all to do with it,” Trump added. “They’re very unpatriotic and disloyal to our constitution.”
John Yoo, the prominent Bush administration Deputy Assistant Attorney General known for writing what have been called the "torture memos," appeared on Fox News on Friday and warned the president.
"I think President Trump would be wise to no longer call the justices somehow tools of foreign influence," he said, reminding him that the Roberts Supreme Court has been giving him "a number of wins."
Yoo also noted that, had he been at the DOJ under President Trump, he would have been "shuddering" when he heard him speak about the court as he did, "because President Trump has got a number of other big cases pending at the court, like whether it can fire the heads of independent commissions, whether it can fire a governor of the Federal Reserve Board, whether redistricting can go on."
Even Fox News is telling Trump to pump the brakes on accusing SCOTUS of being controlled by foreign actors, reminding him he has other "big cases" before the court.
John Yoo: "I think President Trump would be wise to no longer call the justices somehow tools of foreign influence."
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— Justin Baragona (@justinbaragona.bsky.social) February 20, 2026 at 2:31 PM