He may not have a nickname for her yet, but presumptive Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump has a new enemy to contend with: Supreme Court justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg.
Ginsburg recently gave a series of interviews in which she blasted Trump, an unusual and controversial venture into the muck of election politics for a member of the United States’ highest court. The justice, popularly referred to as the Notorius R.B.G., called Trump a “faker,” who “really has an ego,” and joked about moving to New Zealand if he were to be elected president.
Trump fired back, telling the New York Times that he thought it was “highly inappropriate” for Ginsburg to comment on the presidential race. “I think it’s a disgrace to the court, and I think she should apologize to the court. I couldn’t believe it when I saw it,” he said.
He used more choice words on Twitter:
Here are a few of Ginsburg’s slights—several were delivered “smiling,” interviewers noted:
- To CNN: ”He has no consistency about him. He says whatever comes into his head at the moment. He really has an ego. … How has he gotten away with not turning over his tax returns? The press seems to be very gentle with him on that.”
- To the New York Times: “I can’t imagine what this place would be — I can’t imagine what the country would be — with Donald Trump as our president,” she said. “For the country, it could be four years. For the court, it could be — I don’t even want to contemplate that.”
- To the Associated Press: ”It’s likely that the next president, whoever she will be, will have a few appointments to make.”
Ginsburg has been widely criticized for her comments by other GOP politicians, as well by the editorial boards of The New York Times and The Washington Post.