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By Anna Commander
News Editor
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President Donald Trump entered the House chamber for the State of the Union address on Tuesday night and before taking to the mic, he shook hands with all four present justices, reports and video show.
Why It Matters
Trump has vocalized recent frustration with the High Court this month after a 6-3 decision shot down his sweeping tariff policy. The Supreme Court’s decision in Learning Resources Inc. v. Trump held that the International Emergency Economic Powers Act does not authorize the president to impose tariffs—reasserting Congress’ constitutional power over taxation—and prompted Trump to both condemn majority justices and praise the three dissenters.
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The exchange Tuesday night drew attention because Barrett’s presence with other members of the Supreme Court carried symbolic weight at a high-profile address. Notably, Justices Ketanji Brown Jackson, Clarence Thomas, Sonia Sotomayor, Samuel Alito and Neil Gorsuch did not attend the address.
What To Know
CNN anchor Kaitlan Collins posted a video to X on Tuesday night showing the interaction with Justice Amy Coney Barrett with the caption, "President Trump shakes Justice Amy Coney Barrett's hand after saying Friday that her decision on his tariffs was an embarrassment to her family. (And Gorsuch's.)"
In the video, Barrett's arm and hand are visibly reaching out and shaking Trump's hand. She says a few words to the president and smiled in his direction, the video shows.
Anthony Adragna, congressional reporter for Punchbowl News, also posted to X Tuesday night, noting the president's greetings with the justices, saying, "President Trump shook hands with each of the Supreme Court justices. They all appeared to exchange nods."
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What People Are Saying
Curtis Houck, managing editor for NewsBusters, on X Tuesday: "FAKE NEWS: @DavidMuir and @JonKarl falsely claim President Trump blew right by Justice Amy Coney Barrett and didn't shake her hand. Watch the tape. He did, in fact, shake her hand."
Conservative influencer Nick Sortor, on X Tuesday: "NOW: President Trump greets Supreme Court Justices on his way in, and exchanges some words with Bret [sic] Kavanaugh, who wrote an INCREDIBLE opinion outlining how Trump can keep his tariffs in place Thank you, Justice Kavanaugh!"
D. Stephen Voss, political science professor at the University of Kentucky, to Newsweek via email on Tuesday night: "President Trump has a reputation for personalizing politics and holding lengthy grudges. That's a deviation from the norms of Washington, where the smarter players usually were able to fight against each other vigorously during the day and then socialize with each other collegially after the sun went down. Trump shaking hands respectfully with the justices, despite his policy disagreement with them, represents a brief return to the old norms of American politics. Respecting the justices was a smart move on Trump's part, because the public generally holds federal judges in higher regard than they hold either President Trump or the Congress."
What Happens Next
Trump continued to criticize the High Court's tariffs ruling during his speech. It is unclear if the justices will retort.
Update 2/24/26, 10:37 p.m. ET: This article has been updated with additional information.
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