former Acting Solicitor General Neal Katyal appreciation thread

[CatWoman]

Winning tariff lawyer says Trump's case 'fundamentally un-American'

Veteran Supreme Court lawyer Neal Katyal says he knew he'd beat President Donald Trump's sweeping tariffs case, calling his actions 'gravely illegal'

WASHINGTON – The lawyer who won a sweeping new Supreme Court ruling blocking President Donald Trump’s tariff action said Feb. 20 he always believed the court would ultimately side with him – even as he acknowledged the steep odds of challenging presidential power.“It was a complete victory for us,” Neal Katyal told USA TODAY shortly after the decision. “We got everything we asked for, and I thought the Supreme Court stood up for our Constitution.”

“We always believed this was gravely illegal,” added Katyal, “and it was very gratifying to see six members of the Supreme Court agree with us.”The ruling marked a rare and consequential rebuke of presidential authority in the trade arena, where courts have historically given the executive branch wide latitude, said Katyal, a 55-year-old Georgetown University law professor and former acting Solicitor General in the Obama administration.

https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/2026/02/20/tariff-lawyer-neal-katyal-scotus-case-trump/88783744007/

[hlthe2b]

1. A big fan of his (for years) here...

Kudos Mr. Katyal.

[spanone]

2. K&R

[malaise]

3. Yes

K&R

A great lawyer

[Srkdqltr]

4. This morning he looked so happy 😊 it was good to see.

[JohnnyLib2]

5. Bravo!

[multigraincracker]

6. Thanks, I didn't know he was the lawyer in this case.

Always a fan of his.

[niyad]

7. KNR

[Bev54]

8. WTF do people need to do to get that asshole to stroke out?

I was so hoping he would today.

[CatWoman]

9. let's all chip in and send him wagonloads of Big Macs and fries

[F-18_AMO]

19. Good Question

Freakin’ COVID couldn’t do it. His bodily fluids probably killed the virus; not the meds.

[SunSeeker]

10. He's a great lawyer and a great man.

[gademocrat7]

11. K&R

Bravo! Well done👏💙

[BadgerMom]

12. Thank you, Mr. Katyal!

[KitFox]

13. As I was watching him being interviewed today, I was thinking that here is another instance (among countless others) of

how fortunate our country is to be a nation of immigrants. He was born to parents who had immigrated from India. Then my thoughts went to yesterday and watching Alysa Liu joyfully skate that incredible gold medal performance and seeing her father in the stands, an immigrant from China who fled here as a political refugee being that he was a survivor of Tiananmen Square. Then I reflected on the news of Jesse Jackson’s death and his quote: “America is not like a blanket- one piece of unbroken cloth. America is more like a quilt- many patches, many pieces, many colors, many sizes, all woven together by a common thread.” Earlier today a DUer posted an article and photos of President Biden still riding the Amtrak train. Bits of sunshine peeking through!

[cliffside]

22. +100 nt

[cliffside]

14. Meet Neal Katyal, Indian-American Lawyer Who Argued Against Trump's Tariffs

https://www.ndtv.com/world-news/meet-neal-katyal-indian-american-lawyer-who-argued-against-donald-trumps-tariffs-in-us-supreme-court-11116235

"... Moments after the ruling, Katyal said, "Today, the United States Supreme Court stood up for the rule of law, and Americans everywhere. Its message was simple: Presidents are powerful, but our Constitution is more powerful still. In America, only Congress can impose taxes on the American people."

.... Born in Chicago to Indian immigrant parents - a doctor and an engineer - Katyal has built a career around high-stakes constitutional battles. He is a graduate of Dartmouth College and Yale Law School and clerked for Justice Stephen Breyer of the US Supreme Court.

Appointed Acting Solicitor General by President Barack Obama in 2010, Katyal represented the federal government before the Supreme Court and the Courts of Appeals nationwide. He has argued more than 50 cases before the Supreme Court, breaking records for minority advocates.

.... "Just think about it like that. The son of immigrants was able to go to court and say on behalf of American small businesses, hey, this president is acting illegally. And I was able to present my case, have them ask really hard questions at me. It was a really intense oral argument. And at the end of it, they voted and we won," he told MS Now in an interview..."

[cliffside]

15. On MS NOW with Ali Velshi. nt

[Deuxcents]

17. Just watched him. Could he be eligible for AG or SC Justice? He's a treasure

[cliffside]

21. Either one would be great, would vote for SC Justice :) nt

[Joinfortmill]

16. He should be a Supreme Court Justice.

[Deuxcents]

18. Agree..just saw your post and I asked that, too.

[evolves]

20. Large thanks, Mr. Katyal!

[Ilsa]

23. First class treasure of our nation.

He remained professional, but very happy during his interview on Deadline White House.