Supreme Court Justice Amy Coney Barrett declined to respond directly to President Donald Trump’s recent attacks on the court, saying she did not want to discuss his comments. Trump had criticised Barrett and fellow conservative justices Neil Gorsuch and Brett Kavanaugh after they joined a ruling blocking his restrictions on mail-in voting, intensifying concerns about political pressure on the judiciary.

Barrett stressed that the court must apply the law rather than follow public opinion, acknowledging that rulings declaring popular policies unconstitutional will inevitably anger some Americans. The dispute follows Trump’s earlier criticism of the court over its decision to invalidate his use of emergency powers to impose sweeping tariffs, while increased security funding has been sought amid wider political tensions and threats.