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By Andrew Stanton
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Supreme Court Justice Amy Coney Barrett voiced support for “pluralism” while calling for “reverence” for the United States Constitution during remarks at the Library of Congress this week.
Newsweek reached out to the Supreme Court’s public information office for additional comment.
Why It Matters
Her remarks come as the Supreme Court remains historically unpopular among Americans. Fifty percent of Americans view the Supreme Court unfavorably, according to a September 2025 Pew Research Center poll, compared to only 48 percent who view it favorably. While that marks a slight improvement from 2022—the same year the court overturned the landmark abortion rights case Roe v. Wade—it still marks a near record low.
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Barrett has emerged as a key swing vote on the court in recent years, establishing a more moderate record than other justices appointed by President Donald Trump. She has ruled against the administration on matters of the president’s tariffs and efforts to freeze foreign aid. Her recent comments provide a new insight into her view on the law and society.
What To Know
Barrett spoke at the 2026 Supreme Court Fellows Program Annual Lecture at the Library of Congress on Thursday evening about how the United States can foster a culture of respect for the law.
Much of American society runs on norms, she said.
“I mean, you can’t catch everybody who speeds on the highway, just to give an example. If everybody felt at liberty to just drive 80, the people can’t enforce all of that,” she said. “I think a lot in our society—when you think about constitutional provisions that are more important than speed limits like the freedom of religion, freedom of speech, for example—all of those things are important, but the courts can’t be the only guardians of those rights.”
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That culture of respecting the Constitution also rests on “elected officials who also take an oath to uphold” it, she said, noting that those officials “respond to what their constituents want.”
The U.S. has committed to ideals in the Constitution, which has a “high bar” for ratification and amendment, she said.
“Freedom of speech and freedom of religion commit us to pluralism. They commit us to tolerance. They commit us to having to respect and allow to be heard, even those viewpoints that we might disagree with, even those viewpoints we might find abhorrent,” Barrett said.
She warned that public institutions will respond when there is more pressure in society to “squash out a commitment to pluralism” or to “to squash out a commitment to respect the ideas of others,” even in private places where the Constitution does not apply.
“That respect for the law, reverence for the Constitution, really begins with American citizens,” the justice said. “It’s really more of a trickle up than a trickle down.”
Barrett's comments put her at odds with at least some on the right who have been critical of pluralism. Representative Andy Ogles, a Tennessee Republican, voiced a critique of pluralism in a post on X earlier this week.
"Muslims don’t belong in American society. Pluralism is a lie,” he wrote.
What People Are Saying
Former federal prosecutor Joyce White Vance responded to Barrett's remarks in a Substack post: “Justices speak publicly at programs like this, but they usually attract little attention. It’s unlikely, with public confidence in the Court at an all time low, that it’s lost on the Justices that they present a unique opportunity for the Court to try and reclaim some of that ground. But words like these are easier to say than live by today. Justice Barrett is correct that these rights make the country more open, more accepting, more diverse, and much more rich and interesting. But we live in an era when they are undeniably being constricted, as we discussed last night.”
Supreme Court Justice Amy Coney Barrett said during her remarks: “We have to think about the kind of America that we want.”
The Freedom From Religion Foundation defended pluralism after Representative Andy Ogles' post: "Rep. Ogles should resign immediately. The First Amendment protects the right of every person to practice their faith or none at all. America isn’t a theocracy and it never has been and never will be. Pluralism isn’t a lie. It’s the foundation of a free society."
What Happens Next
The Supreme Court’s term is ongoing, so major decisions are expected in the coming weeks and months on topics including birthright citizenship and the Voting Rights Act.
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