Top Supreme Court expert says Trump's attacks and tantrums are backfiring

President Donald Trump has launched numerous attacks against the Supreme Court and had numerous tantrums when they do not rule his way, but as one top court expert told CNN, this assault is almost certainly backfiring.

Joan Biskupic is an author and reporter known for her extensive coverage of the Supreme Court dating back to 1989, having published numerous biographies of the court's justices. On Sunday, she appeared as a guest on CNN, where host Manu Raju pressed her about the situation surrounding the court, and in particular, how much Trump's increasing attacks against it are likely to sway its rulings.

As Biskupic explained, the criticisms do concern the justices to a certain degree, but they also have a way of emboldening them, in a way likely to blow up in Trump's face.

"Well, they don't like thecriticism. And what they worryabout is that it gins up peopleon the outside," she explained. "That wouldadditionally harass the justicesat a time when they're so concerned about security... But Ithink overall, none of them likethe kind of atmosphere that they'rein now, where they're getting somuch criticism."

She added later: "But whatit does for some of them,including, I think, the Chief Justice, is it's a little bit ofa badge of honor. Because, youknow, Chief Justice John Roberts and several of hisconservative colleagues areoften seen as, you know, in thebag for Donald Trump, thatthey're only ruling for Donald Trump. They're not. They've given Donald Trump plenty, but whenthe president criticizesthem, they can say, 'See, hedoesn't like us either.'"

Biskupic also noted that the increasing barrage of criticism from Trump has the court, and Roberts in particular, fearful that future leaders may expand the number of justices on the court as part of a broader reform plan. They worry that appearing to rule in lockstep with Trump would accelerate that possibility.

"What theyalso fear is, especially fromprogressives and moderates, is the idea that there areproposals out there for courtexpansion, for court packing," Biskupic said. "And they see that as a realthreat to their integrity. Sothey're trying — the chiefjustice, John Roberts, is tryingto navigate a course where he isvery conservative, and he isruling for a lot of thepresident's initiatives, but hedoesn't want the court to beseen as linking arms withDonald Trump."