Trump announced on Oct. 15, 2025 that he plans to attend the Supreme Court's Nov. 5 oral arguments on his tariffs. What historical precedent would this set?

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Trump would be the first sitting president to attend Supreme Court oral arguments about his own policies. No president has attended arguments as a party to the case or to watch arguments about executive power. Presidents traditionally respect separation of powers by not appearing at the Court, avoiding any appearance of pressuring justices. (Richard Nixon attended Eisenhower's funeral held at the Court in 1969, but not arguments.) Trump ultimately didn't attend the November 5 arguments, but his announcement alone was unprecedented—it suggested the president might try to influence the Court through his physical presence in the courtroom.

Trump announced on Oct. 15, 2025 that he plans to attend the Supreme Court's Nov. 5 oral arguments on his tariffs. What historical precedent would this set?

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