Trump Demands Jail for Supreme Court Critics, Labels Them ‘Deeply Anti-American’

This week, Donald Trump, the Republican candidate for the U.S. presidency, has drawn criticism for proposing that detractors of federal judges, including Supreme Court justices, should face imprisonment.

At a campaign event in Pennsylvania on Monday evening, the former president boasted about his role in nominating three justices to the U.S. Supreme Court, leading to the revocation of nationwide abortion rights through the overturning of Roe v. Wade. He commended the justices for their “brilliance” and “courage” in making the June 2022 Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization decision.

“The Supreme Court was very courageous, extremely so. They endure a lot of criticism for their actions,” Trump said to his audience.

“What happens should be illegal, you know. You have these individuals, like the legendary Bobby Knight, who ‘play the ref’. These people, they should be in prison for the way they speak about our judges and justices, attempting to influence their votes and decisions,” he added, referencing the iconic college basketball coach.

Maggie Jo Buchanan, the managing director of Demand Justice, linked Trump’s recent remarks to his controversial statements from the past.

“In 2016, Donald Trump advocated for punishing women who undergo abortions. Now, he’s suggesting imprisoning women for voicing their concerns over lost rights,” Buchanan commented. “He’s trying to instill fear in those who are merely exercising their First Amendment rights, which is fundamentally un-American.”

The campaign team of Democratic nominee, Vice President Kamala Harris, circulated a video clip of Trump’s statements on social media.

“I’m going to take a risk here and say, listen to this idea: Trump is clearly an unapologetic fascist who lacks even a basic understanding of the First Amendment’s role and requirements for every American, especially a president,” stated journalist David Simon.

Congressman Ted Lieu (D-Calif.) issued a direct response to Trump, proclaiming, “The extreme justices you appointed are corrupt, radical, and have ethical issues. They misrepresented their true positions on Roe v. Wade to the Senate and the American public. Keep your free speech attacks to yourself.”

Jason Karsh, a writer and photographer, pointed out, “It might be easy to grow numb to Trump’s frequent musings about jailing anyone who disagrees with or criticizes him, especially as he is running for president again. Yet, this conservative Supreme Court has essentially granted him immunity from any crimes committed while in office.”

Maya Sen, a Harvard University professor, noted, “Trump has so frequently attacked judges and justices that the Brennan Center for Justice even published a report on it.”

While Trump has highlighted his role in overturning Roe during his campaign, he has also sought to distance himself from the most severe reproductive rights attacks by the GOP and downplayed the importance of abortion rights to many voters, which he reiterated on Monday.

In response to Trump’s comments at the rally, Harris campaign spokesperson Sarafina Chitika stated late Monday, “The matter of reproductive freedom is indeed relevant to women nationwide, as evidenced by women losing their lives under Donald Trump’s severe abortion restrictions.”

“Trump continues to imply that women’s health, freedoms, and lives are inconsequential,” she continued. “He attempts to dictate our thoughts and concerns. But women are wiser—we will not be silenced, dismissed, ignored, or belittled. We will vote as if our lives depend on it this November, and we will elect a leader who represents us: Vice President Kamala Harris.”

Following his social media post on Friday night, where he claimed, “WOMEN WILL BE HAPPY, HEALTHY, CONFIDENT AND FREE! YOU WILL NO LONGER BE THINKING ABOUT ABORTION,” Trump’s comments came after reports linked Georgia’s post-Dobbs abortion ban to the deaths of at least two women. Speaking in Atlanta on Friday, Harris proclaimed, “This is a healthcare crisis, and Donald Trump is its architect.”