In a strong defense of the judiciary, Supreme Court Chief Justice John Roberts took a firm stance against President Trump’s recent call to impeach judges. This rare rebuke from the Chief Justice came after President Trump criticized Judge James Boasberg’s handling of a case involving the deportation of Venezuelan aliens.
Judge Boasberg had ordered the return of planes deporting criminal Venezuelan aliens, demanding the Department of Justice (DOJ) to reveal sensitive national security details during a heated hearing. The DOJ responded by asserting that the judge’s demands posed a threat to sensitive national security and operational concerns.
“That development escalates the stakes of the district court’s inappropriate exercise of jurisdiction and the risks that the district court may force the government to disclose sensitive national security and operational security concerns or face significant penalties from the court. The Government cannot—and will not—be forced to answer sensitive questions of national security and foreign relations in a rushed posture without orderly briefing and a showing that these questions are somehow material to a live issue.”
By Monday afternoon, the DOJ had officially requested the appeals court to reassign the case to another judge, citing the unusual procedures being employed by Judge Boasberg.
“This Court should also immediately reassign this case to another district court judge given the highly unusual and improper procedures—e.g., certification of a class action involving members of a designated foreign terrorist organization in less than 18 hours with no discovery and no briefing from the Government—that have been employed in the district court proceedings to date,” the DOJ stated.
President Trump didn’t hold back on his criticism of Judge Boasberg, calling for his impeachment in a fiery post on Truth Social. Trump labeled the judge a “Radical Left Lunatic,” appointed by former President Obama, and accused him of undermining the fight against illegal immigration.
“This Radical Left Lunatic of a Judge, a troublemaker and agitator who was sadly appointed by Barack Hussein Obama, was not elected President – He didn’t WIN the popular VOTE (by a lot!), he didn’t WIN ALL SEVEN SWING STATES, he didn’t WIN 2,750 to 525 Counties, HE DIDN’T WIN ANYTHING! I WON FOR MANY REASONS, IN AN OVERWHELMING MANDATE, BUT FIGHTING ILLEGAL IMMIGRATION MAY HAVE BEEN THE NUMBER ONE REASON FOR THIS HISTORIC VICTORY. I’m just doing what the VOTERS wanted me to do. This judge, like many of the Crooked Judges’ I am forced to appear before, should be IMPEACHED!!! WE DON’T WANT VICIOUS, VIOLENT, AND DEMENTED CRIMINALS, MANY OF THEM DERANGED MURDERERS, IN OUR COUNTRY. MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN!!!”
In response, Chief Justice Roberts emphasized the importance of the appellate review process, stating that impeachment is not a suitable response to disagreements over judicial decisions.
“For more than two centuries, it has been established that impeachment is not an appropriate response to disagreement concerning a judicial decision. The normal appellate review process exists for that purpose,” said Roberts in a rare public statement.
BREAKING: Chief Justice John Roberts responds to inquiries after Trump called for a D.C. federal judge who ruled against him to be impeached
— Kelsey Reichmann (@KelseyReichmann)
March 18, 2025
