President Donald Trump has made a habit — one his admirers applaud — of breaking with protocol and tradition.
After delivering his first joint congressional address since returning to the White House (a State of the Union Address in all but name), Trump broke protocol again according to observers who witnessed the President greeting and thanking members of the Supreme Court in attendance, including Chief Justice John Roberts.
Many presidents have greeted SCOTUS justices in the chamber, but few have had cause to directly thank them for their help, as Trump was captured on video doing. As former U.S. Attorney Joyce Vance writes in describing the scene:
Trump thanks the Justices. He doesn’t say what for, but of course, we all know. “Thank you very much, appreciate it,” he says to Elena Kagan, whose face is a mask in the moment. Then, he moves on to the Chief Justice. “Thank you again. Thank you again,” he says to John Roberts. Then he awkwardly slaps him on the shoulder and says, “Won’t forget it.” The moment has an almost classic mob boss feel to it in context.
Here’s the clip with audio
— Jordan (ChaosOverClarity) (@jordanlowrance.bsky.social) March 4, 2025 at 11:24 PM
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If there is doubt about what Vance means when she says “we all know” what Trump is thanking Roberts for, an AP report in February encapsulates the Court’s gifts to Trump.
“The court gave Trump major victories last year that helped clear away potential obstacles to his reelection,” AP reported, “postponing his criminal trial in Washington, D.C., then affording immunity from prosecution for official actions.”
On BlueSky, a more left-leaning version of X, the exchange is circulating and drawing ire for its insinuation of a quid pro quo between the conservative court and the Republican President — with many asking why the exchange is not receiving broader news coverage.
@nytimes.com you seeing this? You seeing and hearing all the things folks on Bluesky have kindly pointed out for you?
— CanuckResistance (@canuckresistance.bsky.social) March 5, 2025 at 12:44 AM
If Trump’s gratitude to the Justices was evident, it may also be short-lived, as the morning after his speech the SCOTUS ruled against his bid to block $2 billion worth of congressionally mandated foreign aid payments.
On Wednesday the Supreme Court backed a federal judge’s order that the Trump administration pay $2 billion to U.S. Agency for International Development contractors, funds the administration had blocked. It was a 5-4 decision going against an emergency order brought by Trump’s DOJ.
