US President Donald Trump has criticised the Supreme Court after it blocked his administration’s attempt to restrict mail-in voting ahead of the November midterm elections.
Trump accused some of the justices of backing down in the face of pressure from Democrats following the court’s decision.
“These are not the people I interviewed to serve on the United States Supreme Court, they are merely a shell of their original selves,” Trump said in a post on Truth Social.
Trump appointed three of the court’s current justices — Amy Coney Barrett, Brett Kavanaugh and Neil Gorsuch — during his first term in office.
The president also described the ruling as “horrible” and “highly political,” accusing the court of making what he called damaging decisions against his administration.
The Supreme Court on Monday rejected Trump’s request to lift an order blocking his plan to impose new restrictions on mail-in ballots.
Trump had signed an executive order in March requiring the compilation of lists of eligible voters and directing the US Postal Service to deliver ballots only to voters on those lists.
The administration has argued that changes are needed to prevent fraud in mail-in voting, although Trump has repeatedly made claims about widespread fraud without providing evidence supporting them.
Justice Brett Kavanaugh, who joined the court’s majority, said in a separate opinion that Trump’s plan could potentially be lawful but that election officials did not have enough time to implement the changes before the midterm elections.
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Only Justices Clarence Thomas and Samuel Alito dissented from the ruling.
US Attorney General Todd Blanche defended Trump’s criticism of the court, saying the president was “very frustrated” and had the right to communicate his concerns.
Democrats welcomed the ruling, with Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer describing it as a rejection of what he called Trump’s attempt to alter mail-voting rules.
The dispute comes ahead of the November 3 midterm elections, with control of Congress at stake.
