A CNN panel has condemned a series of personal and sexist attacks directed at Supreme Court Justice Amy Coney Barrett after she joined the majority in rejecting President Donald Trump’s attempt to restrict birthright citizenship.
The Supreme Court ruled on June 30 that Trump’s executive order violated the constitutional guarantee of citizenship for people born in the United States. Barrett, who was appointed by Trump during his first term, sided against the administration in the closely watched case. The decision prompted anger from several right-wing commentators and political figures.
During a discussion led by CNN anchor Abby Phillip, the panel reviewed online posts targeting Barrett over her vote. Phillip highlighted a message from West Virginia congressional candidate Derrick Evans, who was convicted over his involvement in the January 6, 2021, attack on the US Capitol.
“Amy Coney Barrett is the poster child for why we need to repeal the Nineteenth Amendment,” Evans wrote, referring to the constitutional amendment that gave women the right to vote.
Phillip also read a post from far-right internet personality Joey Mannarino that targeted Barrett’s adopted child.
“If Amy Coney Barrett really votes against ending birthright citizenship, we should begin to look into how to deport her Haitian child back to Haiti,” Mannarino wrote.
The comment prompted an audible reaction from members of the panel. Political commentator and podcaster Adam Mockler could be heard making an “egh” sound, while Democratic strategist Ashley Allison described the post as “nasty, nasty work.”
Phillip also noted that Daily Wire podcaster Matt Walsh had previously welcomed Barrett’s appointment to the Supreme Court but had since turned against her following decisions that disappointed Trump supporters. Walsh was among several conservative commentators who criticised Barrett after the birthright citizenship ruling.
She added, “The attacks on Amy Coney Barrett have been, let me just be clear, sexist.” Mockler said the criticism reflected both hostility and political inconsistency among some conservatives.
“There is a lot of vitriol coming out,” Mockler said. “A lot of vitriol coming out, a lot of hypocrisy from conservatives, and I’m not surprised. I’m not surprised this party is having sexist attacks against her.”
He argued that the backlash was part of a “top-down effort from Donald Trump to try to delegitimize the courts,” and “spew bile and venom in politics.”
Mockler also referenced former Republican congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene, saying she “had to leave politics due to the death threats that she was getting, so women in the Republican Party aren’t treated well.”
The controversy has highlighted growing tensions between Trump’s political movement and conservative judges who do not consistently support the administration’s legal positions. Barrett has repeatedly faced criticism from some Trump allies despite being one of three Supreme Court justices appointed during his first presidency.