Biden rips into Supreme Court, calls appointments ‘one of the scariest parts’ of a second Trump term

President Joe Biden ripped into the U.S. Supreme Court at a high-profile fundraiser in Los Angeles on Saturday night, calling Donald Trump’s ability to nominate more justices to the bench “one of the scariest parts” of a potential second Trump term.

Biden predicted that the “next president is likely to have two new Supreme Court nominees,” and if Trump is elected, “he’s going to appoint two more [justices] flying flags upside down,” according to pooled reporters in the room. That’s a reference to Justice Samuel Alito, who has drawn backlash for two controversial flags flown at his homes.

“This has never been a court that’s so far out of step,” Biden said at the star-studded fundraiser.

Alito was not appointed by Trump, but the former president did nominate three other conservative justices to the bench who helped to overturn Roe v. Wade in June 2022. Reproductive freedom is a central theme of Biden’s reelection campaign. Biden also referred to Justice Clarence Thomas’ arguing that the court “should reconsider” its past rulings codifying contraception and same-sex rulings, according to pool reports.

When an attendee shouted from the crowd about gay rights potentially coming under assault, Biden responded, “Not on my watch.”

The comments came during a fundraiser that featured a conversation with Biden and former President Barack Obama, moderated by late night host Jimmy Kimmel. The campaign confirmed earlier on Saturday that the event drew at least $28 million, the largest single-night haul for a Democratic candidate ever. The event featured several actors, including George Clooney, Julia Roberts, Jason Bateman and Kathryn Hahn.

The money raised will likely bolster Biden’s cash totals in June, after fundraising across his entire political operation slowed in April.

Obama, for his part, attacked Trump for “the spectacle of the nominee of one of the two major parties sitting in court and being convicted by a jury of his peers on 34 counts.”

“There are certain standards and values we should stand for,” Obama added.

Obama also said that “we can take pride in affirming the extraordinary work that Joe has done.”

Biden’s fundraiser followed a day of campaigning by Trump in Michigan, where the former president railed against Biden on issues ranging from inflation to immigration and foreign policy, calling him “the worst president in the history of our country.”