Overview

• Chief Justice John Roberts reiterated that the judiciary is a coequal branch of government, tasked with interpreting the Constitution and checking the excesses of Congress and the executive branch.
• Roberts rejected calls for the impeachment of judges who rule against the administration, emphasizing that appellate review, not impeachment, is the proper mechanism for addressing disagreements with judicial decisions.
• The comments were made during a public event in Buffalo marking the 125th anniversary of the U.S. District Court for the Western District of New York, attended by hundreds of judges and legal professionals.
• Roberts avoided directly naming President Trump but acknowledged the ongoing tensions between the judiciary and the executive branch, which has seen increased attacks on judges and calls for their impeachment from Trump and allies.
• The Trump administration has filed numerous emergency appeals to the Supreme Court following lower court rulings blocking key policies, further escalating the judiciary’s role in addressing executive actions.