Trump Breaks With Federalist Society Amid Judicial, Tariff Disputes

President Donald Trump has publicly criticized the Federalist Society and its former leader Leonard Leo following court rulings that blocked his tariff policies. Despite many rulings favoring Trump by judges he appointed, including those from his first term, he expressed frustration with the conservative legal group for what he described as "bad advice" on judicial nominations. Trump accused Leo of having undue influence over judges and Supreme Court justices, calling him a "sleazebag" and suggesting he might "hate America." This backlash follows a recent decision by the U.S. Court of International Trade, which struck down Trump's tariffs, a key part of his economic agenda, though that ruling was temporarily stayed by an appellate court. Trump's relationship with the Federalist Society has been strained, especially after the conservative justices he nominated did not support his efforts to remain in office post-2020 election. With this breakdown, Trump is moving away from the Federalist Society's influence in his judicial selections going forward, signaling a shift in his approach to federal court nominations.