The White House released and then quickly took down an extended video clip of President Donald Trump expressing displeasure with Supreme Court justices over their tough questioning regarding his birthright citizenship case—but a news reporter managed to save the uncomfortable video before it was deleted.
The damaging footage captured Trump speaking privately to MAGA clergy members and faith-based allies on Wednesday, April 1, 2026, at an Easter meal held at the White House, where the 79-year-old president shared his candid views about the justices who had posed difficult questions to his administration that same day. The event was not meant to be seen publicly, and Trump apparently thought the recording devices were turned off when he made several harsh remarks at what was supposed to be a celebration focused on Christ’s resurrection.
Instead of concentrating on Easter’s religious significance, Trump turned the faith-based gathering into an angry speech targeting the Supreme Court justices who dared to question his executive order aimed at eliminating birthright citizenship.
The president departed during the Supreme Court’s discussion period on Wednesday after his Solicitor General, D. John Sauer, presented arguments to the justices. Trump made history as the first sitting president to watch Supreme Court oral arguments, yet he didn’t remain for the whole proceeding—departing roughly halfway through after several right-leaning justices showed strong doubt about his administration’s argument.
Business Insider chief politics correspondent Bryan Metzger preserved the video on the internet before the White House could erase it from their websites, keeping Trump’s unguarded grievances about the justices available to the public. The White House worked urgently to remove the video after realizing what happened, but the harm could not be undone.
The president’s irritation came from Wednesday’s Supreme Court case about his first-day executive order intended to do away with birthright citizenship. Chief Justice John Roberts, as well as Justices Neil Gorsuch and Amy Coney Barrett—both selected by Trump—offered several challenging remarks and asked sharp questions that showed concerns about the executive order. When Sauer contended, “We’re in a new world now,” Roberts answered, “Well, it’s a new world. It’s the same Constitution.”
Trump showed up at the Supreme Court alongside former Attorney General Pam Bondi (who was later dismissed) and Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick for the groundbreaking case. The president wants to eliminate birthright citizenship for children born within U.S. borders to parents who lack legal status or are visiting temporarily. Yet the justices, even his own picks, voiced major constitutional objections to this significant change.
After leaving the courtroom, Trump wrote on Truth Social making a false claim regarding the program. “We are the only Country in the World STUPID enough to allow ‘Birthright’ Citizenship!” the president wrote. This claim is incorrect—32 additional countries have birthright citizenship rules similar to the United States, such as Canada, Mexico, Brazil, and Argentina, per a Pew Research Center report.
The Supreme Court will announce its ruling sometime toward the conclusion of the term in June or the beginning of July. The outcome will either provide a sharp criticism of the Trump administration or mark a fundamental rethinking of the U.S. Constitution and the citizenship language in the 14th Amendment, which reads: “All persons born or naturalized in the United States, and subject to the jurisdiction thereof, are citizens of the United States and of the State wherein they reside.”
If the court sides with Trump, regardless of the justices’ reservations, it would have major consequences for immigrant communities and their descendants for many years ahead.
Adding to the strange nature of Wednesday’s case, acclaimed performer Robert De Niro, 82, was present in the same packed courtroom as President Trump and some of his top aides. The celebrated actor and prominent Trump opponent occupied seating designated for the justices’ companions. When questioned about his experience afterward, De Niro gave an unclear comment: “I’m not sure because I could hear, but not hear. It’s complicated. So, I can’t say.”
The released Easter meal video marks another awkward incident for the White House, which has had trouble limiting the president’s unrehearsed statements and handling his reputation. The recording exposed Trump’s secret complaints about the courts at a moment when his administration vitally requires the Supreme Court’s backing for a major policy objective.
The White House has not stated the reason it uploaded and subsequently removed the video, or if anyone will be held accountable for the incident.