Supreme Court 'private tensions' growing during 'politically explosive' session: report

The Supreme Court's internal disagreements have spilled out into a public display, according to a report profiling the ongoing tensions.

The Supreme Court has experienced significant internal friction in recent weeks, marked by heated disputes between liberal and conservative justices. Justice Sonia Sotomayor has publicly criticized Justice Brett Kavanaugh over his handling of immigration cases and civil rights protections. Sotomayor condemned Kavanaugh's concurrence supporting immigration stops based on ethnicity and language, calling his reasoning insufficient.

Sotomayor would later apologize publicly to Kavanaugh, whose office did not issue a response to the initial criticism or apology to follow. Analysis from Wall Street Journal columnist James Romoser reads, "As the Supreme Court barrels toward the final stretch of a politically explosive term, its private tensions are surfacing in public.

"A series of blunt remarks by three justices in recent days has offered a glimpse into strained personal relationships, ideological divides and internal alarm over how the court is making key decisions.

"Such candid airing of friction is unusual at the court, where personal discord is normally kept behind closed doors and legal disagreements are rendered in the formal language of written dissents.

"The remarks all come as the court is under pressure both from its caseload and from President Trump, who has frequently disparaged the justices in recent weeks."

Despite the frayed internal relationship for the Supreme Court, there is a sense that the judicial body will still prove to be a problem for Donald Trump.

The New York Times's Ross Douthat said, "So, most likely there’ll be some victories for Trump, but there’ll be two really large defeats — birthright citizenship and tariffs. Both are very big issues. Birthright citizenship is more important to the Republican base or the conservative base. Tariffs are obviously close to Trump’s own heart.

"A year ago there was a lot of conversation, including on this show, about what it would take for Trump to defy the court. In practice, you’ve had a sequence of setbacks for the president that have been met by angry tirades on social media. Some attempts to do end-arounds. But basically, Trump has accepted the power of the court to block him."