President Donald Trump on Sunday sharply criticized the U.S. Supreme Court after the justices declined for a third time this month to allow Missouri to implement a Republican-drawn congressional map approved in 2025.
In a post on Truth Social, Trump wrote, "The Supreme Court of the United States will just not let Missouri have an Election Victory. They continuously, three times now, overrule Judges who came to the correct decisions." He thanked Governor Mike Kehoe and local supporters "who are fighting so hard for Fairness and Election Security," and noted he had carried Missouri handily in his presidential bids.
Unsigned Supreme Court Opinion
On Friday the court issued an unsigned opinion refusing to permit a late switch to the GOP-backed map, saying such a change at this stage would create "electoral chaos." The justices emphasized practical realities: "Ballots using the 2022 map have been printed and mailed. Absentee voting has already begun, as has military and overseas voting." The ruling allowed Missouri to proceed under the congressional district lines adopted after the 2020 census.
Background Of The Dispute
The contested 2025 map, approved by Missouri Republicans, significantly reshaped several districts — most notably the 5th Congressional District, which covers much of Kansas City and is represented by Democratic Rep. Emanuel Cleaver. Under the revised boundaries, parts of Kansas City were moved out of the 5th and the district extended into more rural, Republican-leaning counties. Supporters said the changes more accurately reflected Missouri's Republican tilt and could create an opening for a seventh GOP House seat; opponents called the plan an effort to entrench Republican power.
The map was used in Missouri's August primary, where Republican state Senator Rick Brattin won the GOP nomination for the 5th District and Cleaver ran unopposed on the Democratic side. Despite that primary, the Supreme Court's order means the November general election will be conducted under the older district lines used in 2022 and 2024; both Brattin and Cleaver remain the nominees.
Referendum, Lawsuits And Reactions
The fight intensified after the organization People Not Politicians gathered signatures to force a statewide referendum on the map. Missouri Secretary of State Denny Hoskins initially rejected the petition, saying referendum rules did not apply to congressional redistricting; the Missouri Supreme Court disagreed, ruling the petition valid and concluding the map could not take effect unless voters approved it. The dispute has spawned at least 16 lawsuits in state and federal courts.
Republicans and Trump have repeatedly denounced the court rulings. After the Missouri Supreme Court's September decision, Trump called it a "Dark Day for 'Justice' in Missouri!" The Republican National Committee also criticized the rulings and said it was evaluating legal options.
Richard von Glahn, executive director of People Not Politicians Missouri, welcomed the Supreme Court decision and urged voters to reject the proposed map in November: "We are done with corrupt politicians trying to force their map into effect outside the process outlined in the Missouri constitution."
What Comes Next
A statewide referendum on the 2025 map — Proposition A — will appear on the November ballot. If voters approve it, the map will take effect after the election; if they reject it, the existing districts will remain. For now, the Supreme Court's order ensures Missouri's November general election will proceed under the district boundaries used in the state's two most recent federal election cycles.
Newsweek reached out to the White House for comment. This article consolidates public statements and court filings related to the redistricting dispute.
