PanamaTimes

Friday, May 09, 2025

0:00
0:00

U.S. Supreme Court Justice Alito mocks foreign critics of abortion ruling

Conservative U.S. Supreme Court Justice Samuel Alito has brushed off criticism from prominent figures around the world of last month's blockbuster ruling he authored that overturned Roe v. Wade, the landmark 1973 abortion rights decision.

In his first public remarks since the decision, which has led to various conservative U.S. states imposing abortion bans, Alito dismissed criticism of the ruling, which has come from the likes of British Prime Minister Boris Johnson, French President Emmanuel Macron and Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau.

In addition, Alito took aim at Britain's Prince Harry, also known as the Duke of Sussex, who referenced the abortion ruling in a speech at the United Nation's last week.

Alito's previously unannounced speech was delivered on July 21 at a conference on religious liberty in Rome hosted by the University of Notre Dame Law School. Video of the speech was posted online on Thursday by Notre Dame.

"I had the honor this term of writing I think the only Supreme Court decision in the history of that institution that has been lambasted by a whole string of foreign leaders who felt perfectly fine commenting on American law," Alito said.

"One of these was former Prime Minister Boris Johnson, but he paid the price," Alito joked, referring to Johnson's plans to step down following criticism of his leadership from within Britain's ruling Conservative Party.

"But what really wounded me - what really wounded me - was when the Duke of Sussex addressed the United Nations and seemed to compare the decision whose name may not be spoken with the Russian attack on Ukraine," Alito added in a sarcastic tone, referring to his ruling overturning the Roe decision that had legalized abortion nationwide in the United States and recognized a woman's constitutional right to terminate her pregnancy.

Alito's references to the abortion ruling, which came during a speech about the importance of religious liberty, were met with laughter from the audience.

In Prince Harry's July 18 speech, he spoke of 2022 as "a painful year in a painful decade" before citing the war in Ukraine and "the rolling back of constitutional rights here in the United States," which appeared to reference the abortion ruling.

Johnson has called the ruling "a big step backwards."

Macron said on the day of the decision that abortion was a fundamental right and that women's freedoms were "compromised" by the Supreme Court. Trudeau called the decision "horrific."

Liberal Justice Elena Kagan said in a separate appearance in Montana on July 21 that it would be a "dangerous thing for a democracy" if the conservative-majority Supreme Court loses the confidence of the American public.

The court, America's top judicial body, has a 6-3 conservative majority that has boldly asserted its power in the abortion ruling and other recent cases.

Opinion polls have shown a drop in public approval of the court in the wake of the abortion ruling, which capped its blockbuster term that ended last month.

Newsletter

Related Articles

PanamaTimes
0:00
0:00
Close
Historic Papal Conclave Set to Commence in Rome
Huge Copper, Gold, and Silver Discovery in Argentina and Chile — But the Profits Go Abroad
Trump Rules Out Third Term, Names JD Vance and Marco Rubio as Potential Successors
Mexico Says ‘No’ to U.S. Troops: President Sheinbaum Rejects Trump’s Offer to Fight Cartels
Trump Shares AI-Generated Image of Himself as… Pope, Prompting Outrage Reaction
Amazon Launches Satellite Internet Service Amidst Competition with SpaceX
Transformative Changes in Women's Wrestling: The Rise of WWE Superstars
Brazilian Woman Jailed for Fourteen Years for Writing “You Lost, Idiot” on Statue During Protest
U.S. Economy Shrink in Trump’s First Quarter as Tariff Policy Raises Questions
Carney Secures Liberal Mandate in Canada’s Federal Election
Liverpool Clinches Record-Equalling 20th English League Title Under Arne Slot
Driver Ploughs into Vancouver Festival Crowd, Killing Nine
Depression, Fear of Defamation, and a Tragic End: New Details on Virginia Giuffre’s Suicide
Specialized anti-drone weapons deployed among security personnel Ahead of Papal Funeral
How do you fix this culture?
Corrupted from Within: How Deep State Power and Unelected Judges Hijacked Democracy Against the Will of the People
World Leaders Gather in Rome for Pope Francis's Funeral
Milwaukee Judge Arrested on Allegations of Aiding Undocumented Immigrant’s Escape
Pope Francis: head of the Catholic church who pushed for social and economic justice
Cultural Battles in the Vatican: The Candidates in the Battle for the Holy See and Pope Francis's Testament
Global Leaders Pay Tribute to Pope Francis Following His Death
Wild Chimpanzees Observed Bonding Over Alcoholic Fruit
El Salvador Proposes Prisoner Exchange with Venezuela Amid Deportation Controversy
US Government Defends Deportation of Salvadoran National Kilmar Abrego Garcia
A casino in Mexico burns at the hands of cartels
Pope Francis Makes Brief Appearance at Easter Sunday Mass
"Some complain that we put thousands in prison. In reality, we set millions free."
US Judge Blocks Trump Administration's Rapid Deportation Policy
U.S. State Department Raises El Salvador’s Safety Ranking, Making It Safer Than France and Other European Nations
U.S. and Panama Finalize Defense Agreements Amid Canal Access and Chinese Influence Concerns
China Stands Firm Amidst Trade Disputes with the US: A Factual Analysis
Helicopter crashes from the sky in NYC with four people aboard.
Spain Encounters Nationwide Demonstrations Amid Rising Housing Crisis
Alisha Lehmann's Modeling Campaign and Public Controversy Stir Debate Ahead of UEFA Women's Euro
Global Markets Dive as U.S.-China Trade Disputes Intensify
Tom Cruise Honors Val Kilmer at CinemaCon
OpenAI Attains Unprecedented $40 Billion Investment
Argentina’s “Magician” or a PR Illusion? “Individuals Are Sifting Through Garbage and Resting on the Streets”
Ecuador Gears Up for Influx of US Military as Measures Intensify Against Violent Drug Cartels
The Trump Administration Withdraws Legal Status for More than 530,000 Immigrants from Four Nations.
Deportation of Alleged Venezuelan Gang Members to El Salvador Raises Legal and Human Rights Concerns
Leaders of the US and Ukraine Hold Constructive Discussion During Ongoing Crisis
US Federal Reserve Revises Down Economic Growth Projections Due to Tariff Ambiguities
EU Charges US Tech Giants with Violating Digital Regulations
Trump Administration's Deportation of Alleged Gang Members Sparks Legal Dispute
Intense Tornadoes and Dust Storms Result in 33 Deaths Throughout Central and Southern United States
CK Hutchison, led by Li Ka-shing, encounters backlash from China regarding the sale of Panama Canal ports to a consortium led by BlackRock.
Meta to Introduce Community Notes Feature in March as Part of New Content Moderation Approach
Trump's ambassador nominee confirmed Canada's sovereignty during trade disputes.
The ICC’s retaliation on behalf of drug traffickers against Philippine President Duterte, who took a stand against them and shielded 100 million Filipinos from the drugs-death trade—overlooking the reality that every triumph carries its own price.
×