President Donald Trump sharply criticized the Missouri Supreme Court Thursday after the justices unanimously blocked a Republican-backed congressional map from being used in the November 2026 general election.

Trump called the ruling “ridiculously” wrong and accused the court of forcing Missouri to return to an older congressional map that he dismissed as “Ancient History!”

“The problem is, according to Legal Scholars, that not only was the ruling horrible, ridiculous, and unConstitutional, but there won’t be enough time to change the map back with the Election coming up in a very short period of time,” Trump said in a statement.

Trump argued that Missouri should continue using the new map because it was already in effect during the state’s August primary elections. He said changing the boundaries again so close to the general election would unnecessarily disrupt the election process.

The Missouri Supreme Court ruled Thursday that the new congressional map cannot be used for the November election unless Missouri voters approve it through a statewide referendum. The court instead ordered election officials to use the congressional districts adopted after the 2020 census.

The Republican-controlled Missouri Legislature approved the new map in 2025 after Trump urged Republican-led states to pursue mid-decade redistricting. The map was designed to strengthen Republicans’ position in the state’s eight congressional districts and potentially give the GOP an additional seat. Missouri currently has six Republicans and two Democrats in the U.S. House.

The new boundaries were used for the August primary, creating an unusual situation in which candidates could face a different district configuration in November. The Supreme Court’s decision came after opponents submitted more than 300,000 signatures seeking a referendum on the map. The court ruled that the referendum petition was legally valid and that the new map had therefore not taken effect for the general election.

Trump called the ruling “a Dark Day for ‘Justice’ in Missouri” and argued that the decision would create unnecessary uncertainty for candidates and voters with the midterm election approaching.

Missouri Attorney General Catherine Hanaway has said the state will appeal the ruling to the U.S. Supreme Court, calling the decision an unprecedented violation of federal law.

The legal battle leaves Missouri candidates facing continued uncertainty over the congressional districts that will ultimately govern the November election.