U.S. Chief Justice John Roberts has publicly rejected President Donald Trump’s demand to impeach a federal judge, delivering a rare rebuke that highlights growing tensions between the White House and the judiciary.
“For more than two centuries, it has been established that impeachment is not an appropriate response to disagreement concerning a judicial decision,” Roberts wrote on Tuesday. “The normal appellate review process exists for that purpose.”
His statement came after Trump lashed out at U.S. District Judge James Boasberg, who blocked the administration’s attempt to deport alleged Venezuelan gang members under a controversial 18th-century wartime law.
“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!!!” Trump posted on social media.
Roberts, a conservative appointed by former President George W. Bush, has rarely intervened in political disputes but previously pushed back against Trump’s attacks on the judiciary. In 2018, he rejected Trump’s claim that judges appointed by different presidents serve partisan agendas, stating: “We do not have Obama judges or Trump judges, Bush judges or Clinton judges. What we have is an extraordinary group of dedicated judges doing their level best to do equal right to those appearing before them.”
The clash stems from Trump’s use of the Alien Enemies Act of 1798, an obscure law historically invoked only during wartime, allowing the president to deport non-citizens tied to foreign adversaries. It was last used in World War Two to justify mass internment.
Trump invoked the law on March 15 to fast-track the deportation of Tren de Aragua, a Venezuelan gang he claims is closely linked to President Nicolás Maduro.
A group of Venezuelan detainees sued to block the removals, arguing that the law only applies during a declared war or an invasion by a foreign nation. Judge Boasberg sided with them, issuing an immediate suspension of the deportations. The ruling forced the administration to recall flights carrying hundreds of alleged gang members to El Salvador.
However, two flights were not turned back, sparking accusations that Trump’s administration had defied the court order. The Justice Department defended its actions, arguing that the ruling was issued in writing after the planes had already taken off and that verbal instructions given in court were not legally binding.
The episode adds to Trump’s history of clashing with the judiciary, with Roberts’ intervention serving as a rare warning from the nation’s highest court. The White House has not yet signaled whether it will appeal the ruling.
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The United States has decided to halt some planned deliveries of air defence missiles and other munitions to Ukraine, citing concerns over dwindling American stockpiles, according to officials familiar with the matter.
Poland will temporarily restore border checks with Germany and Lithuania starting 7 July, Prime Minister Donald Tusk announced Tuesday, citing the need to reduce irregular migration across its borders.
Donald Trump announced Tuesday that Israel has accepted the key terms of a proposed 60-day ceasefire in Gaza, as part of renewed efforts to end the war.
A barge belonging to Egypt’s Offshore Shukheir Oil Company (Osoco) has capsized in the Gulf of Suez, with multiple deaths and dozens feared missing, the Ministry of Petroleum and Mineral Resources confirmed late Tuesday.
The U.S. economy faces a 40% risk of recession in the second half of 2025, JP Morgan analysts said on Wednesday, citing rising tariffs and stagflation concerns.
China has ramped up efforts to protect communities impacted by flood control measures, introducing stronger compensation policies and direct aid from the central government.
Severe rain in Venezuela has caused rivers to overflow and triggered landslides, sweeping away homes and collapsing a highway bridge, with five states affected and no casualties reported so far.
A malfunction in the radar transmission system at the Area Control Center in Milan suspended more than 300 flights at the weekend, across northwest Italy since Saturday evening according to Italy's air traffic controller Enav (National Agency for Flight Assistance).
Thousands of protesters rallied in Bangkok on Saturday, demanding Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra resign as political and economic tensions mount.
Prices for goods made in China and sold on Amazon.com are rising at a pace faster than overall inflation, signaling the growing impact of U.S. tariffs on consumers, a new analysis by retail analytics firm DataWeave reveals.
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio convened his counterparts from India, Japan, and Australia on Tuesday for a high-stakes meeting of the Indo-Pacific Quad, aiming to reaffirm the group's commitment to countering China’s influence in the region.
A U.S. federal judge on Tuesday rejected Huawei Technologies Co Ltd's request to dismiss the majority of charges in a sweeping indictment, allowing the Chinese telecoms giant to face trial over allegations of trade secret theft, bank fraud, and sanctions violations.
France is facing a severe heat wave forcing nearly 1,350 schools to shut fully or partially, nearly double from the previous day.
The U.S. Justice Department announced charges against two Chinese citizens accused of spying inside the U.S. on behalf of Beijing.
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