Trump calls Leonard Leo a ‘sleazebag’ post-tariff ruling

After three judges overturned the majority of his sweeping tariffs, US President Donald Trump expressed his anger over the developments, as well as directed particularly harsh criticism towards Leonard Leo, the co-chairman of the Federalist Society conservative legal group.

Indeed, the US Court of International Trade argued that the President had acted outside of his authority under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act by introducing a 10% flat duty rate on many countries, 25% tariffs on Canada and Mexico, and 20% tariffs on China. 

Criticizing Leonard Leo and others

In response to the International Trade Court’s decision, Trump denounced the judges as “backroom hustlers” trying to “destroy our nation,” referring to their ruling as the expression of hatred toward him and a threat to presidential power, in his Truth Social post published on May 30.

As he said:

“The horrific decision stated that I would have to get the approval of Congress for these Tariffs. In other words, hundreds of politicians would sit around D.C. for weeks, and even months trying to come to a conclusion as to what to charge other Countries that are treating us unfairly.”

Using particularly sharp wording, he also chastised the Federalist Society, an influential conservative legal group that contributed to selecting the federal bench during Trump’s first term, as well as its co-chairman Leonard Leo, whom he called a “sleazebag.” Specifically:

“I was new to Washington, and it was suggested that I use The Federalist Society as a recommending source on Judges. I did so, openly and freely, but then realized that they were under the thumb of a real ‘sleazebag’ named Leonard Leo, a bad person who, in his own way, probably hates America, and obviously has his own separate ambitions.”

Furthermore, Trump accused Leo of bragging about his alleged control over judges, even in the Supreme Court, voicing hopes that this isn’t true and expressing disbelief over the claims. Finally, he concluded that “In any event, Leo left The Federalist Society to do his own ‘thing.’”

He also blamed the organization for giving him poor advice on many judicial nominations, presumably including Judge Timothy Reif, whom Trump nominated in 2019 and was a speaker at a 2011 Federalist Society event, and who was one of the trade court judges ruling against the Trump administration.

Tariffs get to stay – for now

That said, the US Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit in Washington later granted an emergency motion from the Trump administration and temporarily blocked the lower court’s decision, thus reinstating the tariffs for the time being and giving the plaintiffs until June 5 to respond.

As it happens, the appeals court has granted a so-called administrative stay without providing an explanation, while the Justice Department’s filing said the trade court’s decision harmed US diplomacy and intruded on Trump’s exclusive authority to conduct foreign affairs.

Meanwhile, Jensen Huang, the CEO of Nvidia, which has already felt the financial consequences of the president’s policies, has criticized the new export curbs stopping the sales of its H20 chip for the Chinese market, but has also praised his other decisions, opining that Trump “wants America to win.”