Supreme Court Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson defended her appearance at the Grammy Awards on The View, insisting the trip wasn't planned, as she had been nominated and was already in the area. She also argued that “public outreach and education” are part of her role on the high court. Jackson went on to say that she had no way of anticipating the politically charged tone of some of the speeches, despite the now-routine case of celebrity award shows turning into platforms for self-congratulatory and poorly articulated political commentary.
“Some Republicans have criticized the fact that you were even there, given the sort of hot potato political thing with Bad Bunny, et cetera,” Joy Behar said. “They didn’t think you should be there. In fact, Senator Blackburn, Marsha Blackburn, has called for an investigation into your impartiality. So, do you have any response to that?”
“Well, I mean, when you are in public life, criticism, you know, is part of the job. I’m sure all of you have faced it,” Jackson replied. “Another part of the job, actually, my job, is public outreach and education. When the justices are on recess, which is what we are doing right now, we really have an opportunity to go out into the community in various different ways.”
"I was actually in LA because of a moot court I was doing around the same time, and it just so happened that I got nominated for this Grammy, and I thought this is a great opportunity to highlight my work in this way, and to see what's happening at the Grammys."
"Let's not forget the fact that you were nominated," Whoopi Goldberg chimed in, as the crowd erupted in applause. "And had no way of knowing what anyone's speech was going to be. I would say, Ms. Blackburn is 'snowflakin.'"
Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson defends her appearance at the Grammys after a GOP senator called for an investigation: "When the justices are on recess, which is what we are doing right now, we really have an opportunity to go out into the community in various different ways." pic.twitter.com/kVUMxIEoIK
— The View (@TheView) February 10, 2026
Justice Jackson was nominated in the Best Audio Book, Narration, and Storytelling Recording category for her narration of the audiobook edition of her 2025 memoir, "Lovely One."
"Clearly the word woman isn’t the only thing Justice Jackson struggles to understand," Sen. Blackburn wrote on X in response to the video. "Going to the Grammys isn’t 'part of the job.' She swore an oath to remain impartial, and she made her bias against ICE clear the minute she showed up at such a politicized event."
Clearly the word woman isn’t the only thing Justice Jackson struggles to understand.
— Sen. Marsha Blackburn (@MarshaBlackburn) February 11, 2026
Going to the Grammys isn’t “part of the job.” She swore an oath to remain impartial, and she made her bias against ICE clear the minute she showed up at such a politicized event. pic.twitter.com/vN5N6zMQ52
In Blackburn's initial criticism, she wrote on X, "Instead of taking the time to learn what a woman is, Ketanji Brown Jackson was at the Grammys applauding anti-ICE rhetoric. How can Americans trust her to be impartial on the highest court in the land?"
Instead of taking the time to learn what a woman is, Ketanji Brown Jackson was at the Grammy’s applauding anti-ICE rhetoric.
— Sen. Marsha Blackburn (@MarshaBlackburn) February 3, 2026
How can Americans trust her to be impartial on the highest court in the land?pic.twitter.com/F7wn5jxoVb
“While it is by no means unheard of or unusual for a Supreme Court justice to attend a public function, very rarely—if ever—have justices of our nation’s highest Court been present at an event at which attendees have amplified such far-left rhetoric,” she later wrote a letter to Chief Justice Roberts.
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