Wednesday morning saw what could be the most consequential oral arguments in this Supreme Court term: What will become of President Trump’s tariff regime?
For such a high-stakes case, the press section was jam packed, according to a journalist in attendance. And the public viewing area was also filled to the brim, with some attendees arriving early to guarantee a seat.
As documented by C-SPAN’s Howard Mortman, the front row was a Who’s Who of Washington power players, from Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent and Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick, to Senators Mike Lee and Amy Klobuchar, to Meta president of global affairs Joel Kaplan.
And there, near the back, was John Mulaney. The comedian and actor, dressed in a sharp suit with a dark blue tie, was listening along as the Justices pressed the lawyers on the legality of Trump’s tariffs, according to multiple people in the room.
So … why was Mulaney there? The answer, it seems, lies with one of the attorneys litigating the case: Neal Katyal, who was representing businesses challenging the tariffs. Katyal and Mulaney are friends, with the comedian going on the attorney’s podcast and Mulaney hosting Katyal on his Netflix talk show Everybody’s Live earlier this year.
In fact, Katyal and Mulaney are working on a TV project together. Speaking at the Aspen Ideas Festival earlier this year, Katyeal revealed some details on the collaboration.
“I’m actually writing a television show about the Supreme Court, it’s kind of a West Wing for the Supreme Court,” Katyal said. “I’m writing with John Mulaney and and it’ll be out in a couple of years. But part of the idea is to try and use the arts to spur a conversation about what justice is.”
No word yet on where the project will end up, but if you were wondering why he was in the room at one of the most high-profile Supreme Court cases in years, you can chalk it up to TV research, and supporting a friend at work.
“Cheap seats but a great show,” Mulaney posted Wednesday evening.
