"The solicitor general's office has a long-standing reputation for integrity, humility, and sober analysis-but under John Sauer's control, its arguments have become increasingly indistinguishable from President Donald Trump's partisan harangues. Sauer's brief in the tariff case is proof positive: Rather than offer persuasive legal reasoning, it pummels the justices with Trumpian campaign rhetoric. Tariffs, the solicitor general declares, "are necessary to rectify America's country-killing trade deficits.""
""One year ago, the United States was a dead country," Sauer writes, directly quoting Trump. "Now, because of the trillions of dollars being paid by countries that have so badly abused us, America is a strong, financially viable, and respected country again." A good rule of thumb: When the solicitor general is effectively copying and pasting from the president's Truth Social posts, the law probably isn't on his side."
The solicitor general's office historically held a reputation for integrity and sober analysis, but under John Sauer its briefs now echo President Trump's partisan rhetoric. Sauer's brief in the tariff case replaces persuasive legal reasoning with campaign-style attacks, framing tariffs as necessary to fix trade deficits and restore national wealth. The brief quotes Trump's claims that the country was 'dead' before tariffs and that trillions are being paid by other countries to make America 'strong' again. Copying presidential social-media posts undermines legal credibility. Consistent application of the justices' prior insistence on explicit congressional authorization could compel striking down the tariffs.
Read at Slate Magazine
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