In a rare public statement, Chief
Justice John Roberts firmly dismissed President Donald Trump’s call for the
impeachment of a federal judge who ruled against his deportation policy. The
statement came just hours after Trump attacked U.S. District Judge James E.
Boasberg on social media, accusing him of obstructing his administration’s
efforts to deport alleged Venezuelan gang members.
“For more than two centuries, it has been established that impeachment
is not an appropriate response to disagreement concerning a judicial decision,”
Roberts said, emphasizing that the appellate process exists to handle disputes
over rulings.
Trump's Attack on the Judiciary
Trump, who has frequently clashed
with the courts, lashed out at Boasberg after the judge blocked deportation
flights that the administration was carrying out under the Alien Enemies Act of
1798. The president claimed his actions were justified due to what he called an
“invasion” by the Venezuelan gang
Tren de Aragua. His administration has been paying El Salvador to imprison
alleged gang members deported from the U.S.
On his Truth Social platform,
Trump referred to Boasberg as an “unelected troublemaker and agitator,”
demanding his impeachment.
“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,” Trump wrote. “This judge, like many of the Crooked Judges I am forced to appear before,
should be IMPEACHED!!!”
A Brewing Constitutional Clash?
The case has raised concerns
about a potential constitutional crisis, as the judge convened a hearing on
Monday over what he called the administration’s “possible defiance” of his ruling. Despite Boasberg’s order, two
deportation flights proceeded to El Salvador. The Justice Department has
defended its actions, arguing that the judge’s written order lacked clarity.
At least two members of Congress
have said they plan to introduce articles of impeachment against Boasberg.
House Republicans have already filed articles against two other judges involved
in Trump-related lawsuits.
Marin Levy, a federal courts
expert at Duke University, described Trump’s move as “an attempt by one branch of
government to intimidate another,” warning that it could erode judicial
independence.
Trump and Roberts: A Complicated
Relationship
Roberts’ rebuke marks another
chapter in his complex relationship with Trump. In 2018, the chief justice
publicly rejected Trump’s description of an “Obama judge” who ruled
against his migrant asylum policy, insisting that an independent judiciary does
not operate along partisan lines.
Despite this, Roberts played a
key role in a Supreme Court decision last year that expanded presidential
immunity, helping Trump avoid a criminal trial before the election. Trump later
thanked Roberts at a congressional address, telling him, “I won’t forget.”
A Rare Move—But Will It Happen?
Judicial impeachments are
exceedingly rare in U.S. history. Only 15 federal judges have ever been
impeached, and just eight have been removed. The last such case was in 2010,
when a judge was ousted for accepting bribes.
With the House under Republican
control, an impeachment attempt could move forward, but conviction would
require a two-thirds Senate majority—an unlikely scenario in the
Democrat-controlled chamber.
As legal and political battles
intensify, Trump’s efforts to reshape the judiciary’s role in his second term
are becoming increasingly evident. Whether impeachment efforts gain traction or
not, the conflict between the executive and judicial branches appears far from
over.
