Chief Justice John Roberts criticized President Donald Trump’s move to impeach judges who have ruled against the president’s policies, saying that the court system should be left to resolve legal disputes.
“For more than two centuries, it has been established that impeachment is not an appropriate response to disagreement concerning a judicial decision,” Roberts said Tuesday in a statement. “The normal appellate review process exists for that purpose.”
The Chief Justice’s rare public comments came after Trump demanded the impeachment of a federal judge overseeing a legal challenge to the removal of alleged Venezuelan gang members using the Alien Enemies Act, an 18th century statute.
Trump called the judge, James Boasberg, a “Radical Left Lunatic” in a Truth Social post Tuesday morning. Later, Rep. Brandon Gill, R-Texas, said he introduced articles of impeachment against Boasberg.
“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,” Trump wrote. “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.”
Gill defended his move after the comments from the Chief Justice.
“Judge Boasberg directing deportation flights to turn around midair and return to the United States is tantamount to a Circuit Court Judge directing troop movements abroad or directing the Executive how to conduct foreign policy,” he wrote on X. “It’s illegal and unconstitutional.”
