Amy Coney Barrett

Coney Barrett image via Wikimedia via Creative Commons / Media Matters

“DEI judge”: Right-wing media personalities attack Amy Coney Barrett for order requiring the Trump administration unfreeze foreign aid

Commentators called Barrett a “DEI hire,” claimed that “she’s NOT one of us,” and suggested Trump’s next Supreme Court pick should be “a strong male evangelical”

Written by Payton Armstrong

Published

After conservative Justice Amy Coney Barrett joined the Supreme Court’s March 5 majority decision to uphold a lower court order requiring President Donald Trump’s administration to pay USAID contractors for work already completed, right-wing influencers lashed out — calling Barrett a “DEI judge” who was “chosen solely because she checked identity politics boxes” and claiming “the power has gone to her head.”

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  • Barrett joined the majority in upholding a lower court order requiring the Trump administration to pay USAID contractors

    • On his first day in office, Trump issued an executive order to pause all foreign aid for 90 days. The order prompted lawsuits from multiple aid organizations that have contracts or grants with the U.S. Agency for International Development and State Department, “alleging that the agencies have illegally frozen all foreign aid payments.” In late February, Supreme Court Chief Justice John Roberts paused a federal judge's order requiring the administration “to pay foreign aid funds to contractors and grant recipients.” [White House, 1/20/25; Reuters, 2/27/25]
    • In a March 5 Supreme Court ruling, Barrett joined the majority to uphold a lower court order requiring the Trump administration to pay USAID contractors for work already completed. The Guardian reported that “Chief Justice John Roberts and Amy Coney Barrett joined the liberal justices in leaving in place a ruling from a US district judge last month, which ordered the administration to unfreeze the nearly $2bn in aid for work that had already been done, and that had been approved by Congress.” [The Guardian, 3/5/25]
    • Trump nominated Barrett to the Supreme Court during his first administration. Barrett, who was nominated to succeed the late liberal Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg in 2020, was among the four current Supreme Court justices who attended Trump’s March 4 address to a joint session of Congress. [CNN, 9/26/20; Politico, 3/4/25]
    • Right-wing media have been waging a yearslong campaign against DEI efforts, and they have been attacking judges who have halted the Trump administration’s executive actions. [Media Matters, 7/15/24, 5/30/24, 2/11/25]

  • Right-wing media personalities launched sexist attacks against Barrett following the March 5 ruling, calling her a “DEI judge” who was “chosen solely because she checked identity politics boxes”

    • Right-wing influencer Mike Cernovich wrote that Barrett “is evil, chosen solely because she checked identity politics boxes. Another DEI hire.” In a separate post, he wrote, “Amy Coney Barrett is a psychopathic Covidian. She was our DEI hire and now we pay the price.” [Twitter/X, 3/5/25, 3/5/25]
    • MAGA influencer Jack Posobiec declared that Barrett is a “DEI judge.” [Twitter/X, 3/5/25]
    • Right-wing social media influencer Rogan O’Handley, who goes by “DC Draino” online, complained that Barrett looked “very bitter” at Trump’s address, adding, “No wonder why she keeps ruling with the liberals against him.” In another post, O’Handley wrote that “she’s been a disappointment” on almost every issue and asked, “Can we please get a re-do on Justice Amy Coney Barrett’s seat?” [Twitter/X, 3/5/25, 3/5/25; The Daily Dot, 4/7/23]
    • Fox host Mark Levin lamented that “Barrett deceived people into thinking she was a reliable constitutionalist,” adding, “The power has gone to her head.” Levin also wrote that “Roberts and Barrett are political justices. Lightweights.” [Twitter/X, 3/5/25]
    • Pro-Trump “prophet” and streaming host Lance Wallnau asserted that Barrett is “NOT one of us” because she was “glaring at Trump” during his address, and suggested Trump’s next Supreme Court nominee should be “a strong male evangelical.” Wallnau posted: “She’s NOT one of us. Notice her glaring at Trump. No more female University professors! They’re overwhelmingly liberal. I’m serious. I may be jet lagged but I think she’s a democrat. We always go with Catholics but never Evangelicals. Next one - a strong male evangelical.” [Twitter/X, 3/5/25; Rolling Stone, 9/29/22]
    • Responding to Barrett joining the majority, Daily Wire reporter Megan Basham wrote, “Trump has to be thinking that Amy Coney Barrett was a mistake.” [Twitter/X, 3/5/25]