Crowd Gives Trump Stunning Response as He Pays Respects to Ruth Bader Ginsburg at Supreme Court
President Donald Trump and first lady Melania Trump were met with boos, jeers and protest chants as they paid their respects to the late Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg in Washington on Thursday.
Ginsburg died Friday at age 87 and is lying in repose at the Supreme Court.
The president and first lady visited the high court Thursday morning to pay their respects to her.
C-SPAN footage of what should have been a solemn moment showed the pair were received with audible pushback from protesters outside.
“President Trump and @FLOTUS Melania Trump pay their respects as Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg Lies in Repose at the U.S. Supreme Court. #SCOTUS,” C-SPAN reported on Twitter.
In the video shared by the outlet, demonstrators can be heard booing and shouting slogans such as “Vote him out” and “Honor her wish.”
President Trump and @FLOTUS Melania Trump pay thier respects as Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg Lies in Repose at the U.S. Supreme Court. #SCOTUS
Protesters chant: “Vote him out!” and “Honor her wish!” pic.twitter.com/uJ88bD98uc
— CSPAN (@cspan) September 24, 2020
The hectoring went on for several moments.
The “Honor her wish” chant is an apparent reference to Ginsburg’s reported dying wish that she not be replaced on the court by Trump.
“My most fervent wish is that I will not be replaced until a new president is installed,” Clara Spera said her grandmother told her, NPR reported.
Trump will announce his nominee to replace Ginsburg on the Supreme Court on Saturday at the White House, a move that has fueled anger from Democrats.
Despite the vitriol, the president has been very complimentary of the late justice.
Following her death, he said in a statement that the 87-year-old was a “titan of the law” with a “powerful mind.”
Statement from the President on the Passing of Supreme Court Associate Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg pic.twitter.com/N2YkGVWLoF
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) September 19, 2020
After he was informed of her passing Friday following a campaign rally in Minnesota, Trump appeared taken aback.
“She just died?” he asked a reported. “I didn’t know that. You’re telling me now for the first time.”
“She led an amazing life, what else can you say? She was an amazing woman — whether you agreed or not — she was an amazing woman who led an amazing life,” the president said.
Trump is waiting for Ginsburg’s memorial processions to conclude before he announces his nominee to replace her on the court Saturday at 5 p.m.
Truth and Accuracy
We are committed to truth and accuracy in all of our journalism. Read our editorial standards.
