Supreme Court Justices Ketanji Brown Jackson and Brett Kavanaugh engaged in a public debate regarding the court's emergency orders that have allowed former U.S. President Donald Trump to advance key parts of his agenda. The discussion took place in a federal courtroom filled with legal figures. Kavanaugh and Jackson, who have previously served together on the federal appeals court in Washington, sat near each other. They were separated by a federal judge who posed questions to both. The occasion was an annual lecture. Trump appointed Kavanaugh to the high court in 2018, while Jackson was appointed in 2022 by former president Joe Biden. The central issue in emergency appeals is whether a policy challenged in court should be allowed to take effect while the legal case continues. Jackson expressed criticism of Kavanaugh and other conservatives, stating they were not serving the court or the country well. She highlighted the court's intervention in cases on the emergency docket, calling it an unfortunate problem. Kavanaugh, in response, explained that administrations often push regulations as enacting legislation through Congress becomes more difficult. Many judges in attendance have been involved in challenges to administration policies. Neither Jackson nor Kavanaugh mentioned judges by name, but Jackson repeated a complaint shared by other liberal justices. Kavanaugh acknowledged the complexity of the issues and the closeness of the cases.