Tensions Flare as Karoline Leavitt Delivers Subtle Blow to Amy Coney Barrett After Narrow Supreme Court Ruling on Deportation Flights

In a political moment loaded with subtle jabs and overt celebration, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt addressed the nation with a layered message following the Supreme Court’s narrow 5-4 ruling in favor of resuming deportation flights to El Salvador — a decision that some viewed as a victory for Trump’s immigration policy. Though she praised the ruling as a “massive legal victory,” Leavitt’s words carried a distinct undercurrent of disapproval toward one conservative justice in particular.

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Without naming her outright, Leavitt’s critique appeared to target Justice Amy Coney Barrett, who unexpectedly aligned with the court’s liberal justices. Her vote allowed a temporary legal block on deportations to remain in place until now. Leavitt made clear that such divergence from Trump-aligned rulings was disappointing, saying, “We wish this was a 9-0 decision.”

“This wasn’t just a legal fight,” Leavitt continued. “It was about reclaiming authority from activist judges who’ve long undermined the president’s power as commander-in-chief.”

She went on to harshly criticize Judge James Boasberg, the lower court judge whose prior ruling halted the deportations. Leavitt described him as a “low-level district judge with a political agenda” and accused him of overstepping his judicial bounds. In her view, the Supreme Court’s decision was a corrective measure — a message that the executive branch still holds its rightful constitutional powers, especially under the Alien Enemies Act, which the administration invoked to justify the deportations.

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Although Leavitt painted the ruling as a full-throated endorsement of Trump’s authority, the justices also included a requirement that any detainee labeled a gang member must have the opportunity to seek court review before being deported — a stipulation that tempers the administration’s win, though it was barely mentioned in Leavitt’s triumphant remarks.