- Chief Justice John Roberts defended federal judges after President Donald Trump called for Judge James Boasberg’s impeachment over a deportation ruling. Roberts emphasized impeachment is not appropriate for judicial decision disagreements.
- Trump’s impeachment demand followed Boasberg’s temporary block on deporting Venezuelan migrants under the Alien Enemies Act.
- Roberts’ statement addressed growing concerns over judicial independence, citing threats from disinformation, intimidation and efforts to delegitimize court decisions.
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Chief Justice John Roberts issued a public statement Tuesday, March 18, defending federal judges after President Donald Trump called for the impeachment of U.S. District Judge James Boasberg.
Roberts said impeachment is not an appropriate response to disagreement with judicial rulings.
“For more than two centuries, it has been established that impeachment is not an appropriate response to disagreement concerning a judicial decision,” Roberts said.
The statement followed Trump’s social media post calling Boasberg a “troublemaker and agitator” after the judge temporarily blocked the administration from deporting a group of Venezuelan migrants.
What led to Trump’s impeachment call?
Boasberg issued an order Saturday, March 15, halting deportations for 14 days under the Alien Enemies Act. It’s a wartime law the Trump administration invoked to expel noncitizens.
The administration had already begun flights carrying more than 200 Venezuelan nationals to Central America when the judge stepped in.
Two planes still landed in El Salvador. It led to allegations that the administration defied a court order.
Trump responded by demanding Boasberg’s impeachment, a move backed by some Republican allies.
Rep. Brandon Gill, R-Texas, introduced articles of impeachment against Boasberg. He accused him of overstepping his authority.
How do impeachment proceedings work for judges?
The House impeaches and the Senate convicts federal judges to remove them from lifetime appointments.
Since the country’s founding, Congress has impeached only 15 judges, removing eight from office.
Historically, lawmakers reserve impeachment for egregious misconduct like bribery or fraud, excluding judicial decisions.
How has Roberts responded to Trump before?
This is not the first time Roberts has pushed back against Trump’s criticism of the judiciary.
In 2018, when Trump labeled a judge an “Obama judge” after an unfavorable ruling, Roberts publicly rejected the notion of partisan judges.
He said, “We do not have Obama judges or Trump judges, Bush judges or Clinton judges. What we have is an extraordinary group of dedicated judges doing their level best to do equal right to those appearing before them.”
What are the broader concerns for the judiciary?
Judicial independence has been under increasing strain as Trump and his allies ramp up attacks on judges. Federal judges recently warned of growing security risks and urged restraint in political rhetoric targeting the courts.
Roberts highlighted three key threats to judicial independence: disinformation, intimidation and threats to court rulings.
