Justice Amy Coney Barrett Faces Unexpected Right-Wing Fire: What’s Really Going On?
Justice Amy Coney Barrett has been under some pretty intense scrutiny lately, especially from right-wing circles. Interestingly, she hasn’t said a word in response—and honestly, that’s not surprising. Supreme Court justices almost never engage directly with political criticism, especially not in real time. They’re careful to stay above the fray, letting their rulings speak for themselves. But that hasn’t stopped the blowback.
A Growing Conservative Discontent
Barrett’s critics from the MAGA camp aren’t just grumbling quietly; some are openly frustrated and even alarmed. Why? Because Barrett has cast votes that don’t always align perfectly with former President Donald Trump’s agenda. This has ruffled feathers, especially considering how much Trump invested politically in her confirmation.
Let’s highlight some of the moments that set off the conservative grumblings:
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In March, Barrett sided with the liberal justices to reject Trump’s attempt to rescind a lower court order requiring the payout of roughly $2 billion in foreign aid. This decision went against the grain of what many Trump supporters expected.
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She joined Chief Justice John Roberts to turn down then-President Trump’s request to delay sentencing in his New York hush money case right before his inauguration. That move alone caught a lot of right-wing observers off guard.
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Barrett also partly dissented alongside the liberal justices on an order that dismissed the appeal of Venezuelan detainees sent to El Salvador, a move that defied a U.S. District Judge’s ruling.
These aren’t minor footnotes—they’re headline moments that conservatives keep bringing up as evidence she’s not the “lockstep” Trump loyalist they hoped for.
The Viral "Stink Eye"
And here’s a spicy detail that went viral on social media: After Trump’s joint address to Congress, Barrett appeared to give him a sharp, almost disdainful look—what some called a “stink eye.” Steve Bannon, a staunch Trump ally, joked on his podcast that “That’s about as close to stink eye as you can get. I’ve had a couple of my ex-wives look at me like that.” Whether the look actually means anything is up for debate, but it certainly fueled the firestorm.
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