U.S. Chief Justice John Roberts criticized President Donald Trump on Tuesday for proposing that impeachment could be a solution to a court-related issue involving a judge.
In an unusual statement, Roberts remarked, “For over two hundred years, it has been recognized that impeachment is not a suitable reaction to a disagreement over a judicial ruling. The standard appellate review process is designed for that purpose.”
Roberts’ comments came in response to Trump’s social media post earlier that day, in which he advocated for the impeachment of a federal judge.
U.S. District Judge James Boasberg, based in Washington, issued an order on Saturday for the administration to cease the deportation of individuals alleged to be members of Venezuelan gangs. This action was taken in response to claims by Trump that such removals were sanctioned under an 18th-century law typically applied during wartime.
“I’m simply fulfilling the wishes of the VOTERS. This judge, like many of the Corrupt Judges I am compelled to face, deserves to be IMPEACHED!!!” Trump stated.
The criticism from Chief Justice John Roberts, a conservative appointed by former Republican President George W. Bush, mirrors sentiments expressed in 2018 when Roberts defended the judiciary’s autonomy amid ongoing attacks from Trump during his initial term.
“We do not have judges appointed by Obama, Trump, Bush, or Clinton,” Roberts remarked in a previous statement.
“What we have is a remarkable group of dedicated judges striving to ensure fairness for all who come before them. This independent judiciary is something we should all appreciate,” Roberts continued.
Trump, who has appointed three justices to the nine-member Supreme Court, previously labeled a judge who ruled against his asylum policy as an “Obama judge.”
On March 15, Trump claimed that his use of the Alien Enemies Act of 1798 allowed his administration to bypass standard immigration procedures to swiftly deport alleged members of Tren de Aragua, a criminal organization he asserted has close ties to Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro.
This 18th-century statute grants presidents wartime powers to deport non-citizens whose primary loyalty lies with a foreign entity. It has been invoked only three times: during the War of 1812, World War I, and World War II, when it was used to justify the mass internment of individuals of Japanese, German, and Italian descent.
On March 15, a group of Venezuelan men in U.S. immigration custody filed a lawsuit on behalf of themselves and others in similar situations, seeking to prevent the deportations. They contended, among other arguments, that Trump’s order exceeded his power because the 1798 law authorizes removals only when war has been declared or the United States has been invaded by a “foreign nation or government.”
