President Trump defended Supreme Court Justice Amy Coney Barrett, calling her a “very good woman” even as she breaks with conservatives on some issues.
“She’s a very good woman. She’s very smart, and I don’t know about people attacking her, I really don’t know,” Trump told reporters on Sunday. “I think she’s a very good woman. She’s very smart.”
Barrett has come under fire in recent days after she voted to reject Trump’s attempt to freeze nearly $2 billion in foreign aid.
The Supreme Court in a 5-4 emergency ruling decided to not halt a judge’s decision to order the Trump administration to immediately release nearly $2 billion in foreign aid because they have existing contracts.
Barrett was joined by Chief Justice John Roberts and the court’s three liberals to make the decision.
She was nominated to the Supreme Court by Trump during his first term and has broken from the conservatives on several issues.
Barrett has been criticized in recent days over her ruling, but Trump sought to tamper the concerns by highlighting her capabilities aboard Air Force One on Sunday.
The emergency ruling came as the Trump administration has attempted to dismantle various federal agencies, including the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), which prompted the case.
