Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas has set off fresh conspiracy theories on the left after swearing in multiple Trump administration officials.
Known for his sharp, reliably conservative legal analysis, Thomas is a favorite of many on the right and a top target of the left, which has often portrayed the justice as a political ally of the MAGA movement.
After Thomas swore in multiple members of Trump's Cabinet, anxieties about Thomas' role were voiced by CNN anchor Dana Bash.
"Please raise your right hand again and again and again," Bash said. "That’s what we heard from Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas, who’s emerging as the go-to justice to swear in Donald Trump’s cabinet, overseeing ceremonies at the Supreme Court, at the White House, even at his own home, all while he and his wife, a longtime conservative activist, are drawing exceptional attention from President Trump," Bash said.
While clearly suggesting that Justice Thomas has crossed a boundary, Bash insisted she was simply troubled by the "symbolism" of his involvement.
"Not that there's anything untoward about doing it, it's just what it symbolizes," Bash said.
"I don't have a very strong memory of cabinet officials having swearing-ins of any Supreme Court Justice."
CNN also published a written report that noted the presence of Thomas' wife, conservative activist Ginni Thomas, during the swearing-in of Attorney General Pam Bondi.
“I’d like to thank Justice Clarence Thomas and his incredible wife, who is here someplace – his highly-respected wife,” President Trump said during the event.
Thomas has often been targeted by liberals seeking to discredit and reform the Supreme Court, which shifted right during Trump's first term. In particular, Democrats have attacked Thomas over his wife's political activism surrounding the 2020 election results.
Samuel Alito, another top conservative justice, faced breathless criticism last year over an inverted American flag that was flown at his home.
As Trump campaigned for re-election in 2024, some leftists accused the Supreme Court of a corrupt scheme to shield him from prosecution with its landmark ruling on presidential immunity.
Despite these conspiratorial claims, the court's conservatives have never been a rubber stamp for Trump and his agenda. Indeed, the court declined to block Trump's sentencing in New York last month.
A major test of the court's alignment with Trump is on the horizon as he fights to end birthright citizenship. It's unclear how the justices might rule, but they have overturned legally flawed precedents in the past, most notably Roe v. Wade.
