The past week has seen an astonishing shift in the political and social discourse surrounding Supreme Court Justice Amy Coney Barrett. Once hailed as a flagship conservative choice and lauded by many Republicans, Barrett found herself targeted with fierce criticism from the MAGA movement and far-right influencers after her pivotal vote on a landmark Supreme Court case.
In a 6-3 decision, the Court struck down former President Donald Trump’s executive order that sought to end birthright citizenship, reaffirming a core principle of the Fourteenth Amendment. Justice Barrett, who joined Chief Justice John Roberts in the majority opinion, emphasized that “Citizenship, then and now, was the right to have rights. We keep that promise today.” This ruling was widely celebrated as a reaffirmation of constitutional guarantees.
However, the reaction from the far right was swift and vicious. Some critics, especially on social media, seized on Barrett’s vote to label her a “DEI hire” — shorthand for “Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion” — and a “terrible pick”. Matt Walsh of the Daily Wire went further, claiming Barrett was one of the “worst Supreme Court Justices of all time,” citing her status as a woman as evidence of what he called a pattern, accompanied by a photo of the Court’s female justices.
Megyn Kelly, a prominent media personality, called Barrett a “turncoat,” alleging she had “constantly sided with the left.” The College Republicans at Notre Dame, where Barrett taught constitutional law for fifteen years, labeled her “an absolute disgrace to the Notre Dame name.” An especially egregious attack came from far-right influencer Joey Mannarino, who had previously suggested that if Barrett voted against their expectations, “we should begin to look into how to deport her Haitian child back to Haiti.” His comments targeted her two adopted children from Haiti, shifting the political outrage into a deeply personal and xenophobic attack.
None of these criticisms stick when examining Barrett’s background. A former clerk for Justice Antonin Scalia, Barrett spent over a decade teaching constitutional law and was considered the Federalist Society’s dream nominee — confirmed in a rapid eight-day process just before the 2020 presidential election. She was the justice who authored the opinion that overturned Roe v. Wade, a milestone in conservative legal priorities.
The shift in perception reveals that much of the vitriol is less about her qualifications or record and more about her decision to interpret the Constitution as written. As Walsh himself once said in 2020, Barrett was a “bullet-proof choice,” praising her expertise and philosophy, noting he’d be just as happy if she were a man. Now, that same standard has seemingly been discarded, replaced with accusations of disobedience simply because she upheld her constitutional duty.
The phrase “DEI hire” has become a vicious slur rather than a descriptor of merit. The irony is stark: Barrett’s credentials, appointment confirmation, and legal expertise are undeniable. Her vote reflects her reading of the law, not her compliance with a political narrative. Yet, for some in the MAGA movement, her independence from their expectations is seen as a betrayal — proof, they say, that she is “not one of us.”
Megyn Kelly summed it up poignantly when she stated, “She’s supposed to be one of ours,” highlighting the deep sense of loss or betrayal felt by those on the right who believed her allegiance was assured. After all, the Constitution was designed precisely so justices wouldn’t have to constantly bow to political whims, and Barrett’s decision reminds us of the enduring independence of the judiciary — even when it’s inconvenient for loud voices on social media.
