President Trump intensified his efforts to undermine judges who oppose him on Tuesday, urging Congress to impeach the judge overseeing a legal battle regarding the deportation of hundreds of immigrants to El Salvador. This attack on the judiciary prompted a rare public statement from Supreme Court Chief Justice John Roberts.
In a TruthSocial post, Trump demanded the impeachment of U.S. District Judge James Boasberg. Boasberg had previously ordered Trump to cease using the 1798 Alien Enemies Act to deport immigrants suspected of being affiliated with transnational criminal gangs. Despite this order, the administration seemingly defied the court, continuing the deportations. Over the weekend, flights carrying 261 individuals removed from the U.S. arrived in El Salvador, where the Salvadorian government reports they have been imprisoned.
Trump labeled Boasberg a “Radical Left Lunatic” and “a troublemaker and agitator.” He also ridiculed the notion that a federal judge could limit his presidential actions, stating, “He didn’t WIN the popular VOTE.” Trump added, “This judge, like many of the Crooked Judges’ I am forced to appear before, should be IMPEACHED!!!”
Within hours of Trump’s post, Roberts responded with an uncommon public criticism of a sitting President. According to the AP, Roberts stated, “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.” Roberts had previously cautioned against threats and intimidation of judges, including in his year-end report in December, writing, “Attempts to intimidate judges for their rulings in cases are inappropriate and should be vigorously opposed.”
Boasberg was appointed a federal judge by President Barack Obama and confirmed by the Senate in March 2011. He became the chief judge of the District Court of the District of Columbia in 2023. Before that, Boasberg was a U.S. attorney specializing in homicide prosecutions, and President George W. Bush appointed him as an associate judge to the D.C. superior court in 2002, where he presided over civil, criminal, and domestic violence cases before his appointment to the federal bench.
Only Congress has the power to remove a federal judge, following a process similar to presidential removal. The House must first vote to impeach, requiring a simple majority. If successful, the Senate then conducts a trial and votes on conviction, which requires a two-thirds majority.
Over the past 250 years, Congress has impeached 15 federal judges, with the Senate convicting only eight, according to data from the Administrative Office of the U.S. Courts. The most recent removal of a federal judge by Congress was G. Thomas Porteous, Jr., of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Louisiana. He was convicted by the Senate in December 2010 on charges of bribery and perjury.
Rep. Brandon Gill, a Republican from Texas, announced on X Tuesday his intention to file articles of impeachment against Boasberg in the House. House Republicans have either threatened or initiated impeachment proceedings against at least four other federal judges who have ruled against Trump since January 20.