Image of Chief Justice John Roberts overlaid with multi-colored gavels

Andrea Austria / Media Matters

Right-wing media figures are lambasting John Roberts for rebuking Trump’s calls to impeach judges who rule against him

Conservative media personalities called Roberts’ statement “totally out of line” and urged impeachment

Written by Jack Wheatley & Payton Armstrong

Published

Right-wing media figures are attacking Supreme Court Chief Justice John Roberts for his statement rebuking President Donald Trump’s demand to impeach judges who rule against his executive orders. Media figures are claiming that Roberts is overstepping his authority, defending Trump’s call to impeach judges, and even calling for the impeachment of Roberts.

Such attacks follow a pattern in which right-wing media personalities have lashed out at the judiciary for ruling against Trump and his administration’s policies.

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  • After Trump and right-wing media escalated attacks on the judiciary and called for impeaching judges, Roberts said “impeachment is not an appropriate response”

    • On March 15, U.S. District Court Judge James Boasberg issued an order to block the Trump administration’s deportation flights to El Salvador, with Trump subsequently calling for Boasberg’s impeachment and right-wing media figures calling the judge a “lawless clown.” The Trump administration invoked the Alien Enemies Act — a 1798 law used to deport foreign nationals during times of war — which has been used only during major wars. The last time the act was invoked was during World War II, when it was used to place thousands of Japanese, German, and Italian individuals in internment camps. After Boasberg’s ruling, Trump declared, “This judge, like many of the Crooked Judges’ I am forced to appear before, should be IMPEACHED.” Right-wing media figures called Boasberg a “lawless clown,” urged the administration to “impeach and prosecute” him, and targeted the judge’s family. [Media Matters, 3/18/25; Truth Social, 3/18/25]
    • On March 18, Supreme Court Chief Justice John Roberts put out a statement rebuking Trump’s call for impeaching judges, saying, “Impeachment is not an appropriate response to disagreement concerning a judicial decision.” Roberts: “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.” [NBC News, 3/18/25]
    • MAGA media and conservative figures have a history of attacking judges who have ruled against Trump and his administration’s policies, including recently attacking Justice Amy Coney Barrett. Right-wing media personalities labeled Amy Coney Barrett a “DEI judge” for ruling with the majority to require the Trump administration to release foreign aid that he had frozen through executive order, and they attacked other judges who ruled against his executive orders. Additionally, before Trump took office for a second term, right-wing media figures attacked judges who ruled against Trump in his criminal cases — sometimes even before they had ruled or even heard the case. Some figures have personally attacked judges’ family members by name and have called for the judges’ impeachment or arrest. [Media Matters, 3/6/25, 8/4/23, 11/1/23, 5/30/24, 2/13/25]

  • Right-wing media figures claimed Roberts is overstepping his authority, defended Trump’s call to impeach judges, and suggested impeaching Roberts

    • Article III Project founder and Trump ally Mike Davis said that Roberts’ statement was “not an appropriate response” and that “the normal impeachment process exists for that purpose.” On social media, Davis wrote, “For more than two centuries, it has been established that impeachment is a political decision by Congress. An activist judge ordering planes to turn around during a national-security operation is not a ’judicial decision.’ That is a highly illegal and extremely dangerous sabotage of the presidency, which is an impeachable offense.” [Twitter/X, 3/18/25; Bloomberg Law, 2/5/25]
    • On his podcast, right-wing commentator Charlie Kirk declared that it’s “completely out of line” for Roberts to rebuke Trump in a statement. He added that “President Trump is the chief executive and commander in chief. If there is a case that John Roberts wants to weigh in on, well then that case will come right up to him. … But for him to preemptively come out like this, it’s totally out of line.” [Real America’s Voice, The Charlie Kirk Show, 3/18/25]
    • Right-wing account Catturd posted: “Impeach John Roberts.” [Twitter/X, 3/18/25]
    • Fox’s Mark Levin said that Roberts needs to “grow a pair” and said judges are “seizing power in front of our eyes.” Levin addressed Roberts, declaring, “Do your job, chief justice of the United States. Don’t get into the political fight. Fix it! Because if you don’t fix it, we’re going to lose our constitutional construct or Congress is going to have to figure out some way to fix it.” Levin added that “these judges” are “grabbing, seizing power in front of our eyes.” [Fox News, The Story with Martha MacCallum, 3/19/25]
    • On his radio show, Fox’s Sean Hannity said it “was inappropriate” for Roberts to release a statement. Hannity said Trump administration officials are “not going to take this crap from Obama-appointed judges that don't believe in precedents, don't believe in the rule of law. And I'm not sure why John Roberts even bothered to weigh in. I think it was inappropriate. I really do.” [Premiere Radio Networks, The Sean Hannity Show, 3/18/25]
    • Fox’s Jeanine Pirro said Roberts shouldn't criticize Trump, declaring that “it's inappropriate” and claiming that “he is getting involved in politics” and “setting up a situation where it looks like he’s taking sides, and you don't want that as a Supreme Court justice.” [Fox News, The Five, 3/18/25]
    • Fox contributor Newt Gingrich suggested that Roberts is trying to “minimize attacks on out of control appointed leftwing district court judges abusing their role and claiming to be able to overrule the elected President.” He added: “The Chief Justice can defend the Court by overruling bad judges before the Executive and Legislative Branches start acting against them.” [Twitter/X, 3/18/25]
    • Right-wing influencer Rogan O’Handley, who goes by “DC Draino” online, wrote that “someone should remind” Roberts “that the Constitution allows for” the impeachment of federal judges and “he should stay the hell out of the political process.” [Twitter/X, 3/18/25; The Daily Dot, 4/27/23]
    • Election Integrity Network’s Cleta Mitchell asserted that “Chief Justice John Roberts is in the process of demolishing the legitimacy of the federal judicial branch.” She added, “Everything we are watching unfold with these unconstitutional national injunctions usurping the President’s constitutional powers is BECAUSE CJ Roberts and ACB did NOT do their jobs a month ago.” [Twitter/X, 3/19/25]
    • Right-wing host host Megyn Kelly claimed of Roberts: “It's really not any of his damn business.” Kelly added, “Why is Chief Justice John Roberts pretending like he's got to be the daddy of this judge or any other when he's been remarkably silent when justices came under death threats?” [SiriusXM, Megyn Kelly Show, 3/19/25]
    • Daily Wire’s Ben Shapiro criticized Roberts for speaking out and said, “I’m not sure why it’s necessary for Chief Justice Roberts to sign into chat here,” because “Trump says a lot of things.” [Daily Wire, The Ben Shapiro Show, 3/19/25]
    • Sean Davis, founder of The Federalist, lamented that “John Roberts can’t keep his own court’s clerks from illegally releasing decisions—an act that nearly led to the assassination of two of his own colleagues—but he’s going to lecture Trump on what he can and can’t post on Truth Social?” [Twitter/X, 3/18/25]

  • Right-wing media figures launched personal insults and other accusations against Roberts

    • Fox's Greg Gutfeld went into a tirade over Roberts’ comments, demanding he “shut the f up.” He said: “Maybe a guy in a robe in D.C. can follow all the protocols, but Trump is the f-ing president of the United States who protects 300 million plus people. He is a leader who does not have the luxury of opening up his little books to read, ‘Oh, my god, maybe he didn't do it the right way.’ Roberts, shut the f up. This is something that a president has to do.” [Fox News, The Five, 3/18/25]
    • Seemingly in response to Roberts’ statement, MAGA influencer Jack Posobiec wrote, “Reminder that John Roberts messed up Trump’s inaugural oath on purpose,” and agreed with Trump “meme team” leader Brendan Dilley that Roberts is “such a dick.” Posobiec is seemingly repeating criticism that Roberts rushed Trump’s oath of office during his second inauguration, causing Trump to not put his hand on the Bible. According to Newsweek, “Not placing his hand on the Bible doesn’t mean anything about Trump’s presidency because it isn’t required.” [Twitter/X, 3/18/25, 3/18/25, 1/20/25; Media Matters, 5/21/24; Newsweek, 1/20/25]
    • Townhall’s Kurt Schlichter wrote that “John Roberts has the worst political instincts of any human being ever.” [Twitter/X, 3/18/25]
    • Sean Davis of The Federalist declared that “John Roberts is setting the entire judiciary on fire to protect Venezuelan terrorists.” [Twitter/X, 3/18/25]