Vice President JD Vance on Wednesday criticized Chief Justice John Roberts, asserting that the head of the Supreme Court was “profoundly wrong” for prioritizing the judiciary’s role in checking the executive branch while, in Vance’s view, neglecting to address alleged overreach by lower courts, particularly in blocking Trump-backed immigration policies.
Speaking on the podcast “Interesting Times with Ross Douthat,” Vance argued that the judiciary’s actions have skewed the constitutional balance and undermined democratic accountability.
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His comments came in response to Roberts’ recent defense of judicial independence, where the Chief Justice also stated that impeachment should not be wielded as a tool to penalize judges over disagreements on legal interpretations.
“I saw an interview with Justice Roberts, Chief Justice Roberts recently, where he said the role of the court is to check the excesses of the executive. I thought that was a profoundly wrong sentiment. That’s one half of his job,” Vance stated. He contended that the other crucial aspect of Roberts’ role is to “check the excesses of his own branch.”
Vance warned that the courts are actively obstructing the will of the electorate, who he says have consistently voted for robust immigration enforcement.
“You cannot have a country where the American people keep on electing immigration enforcement and the courts tell the American people they’re not allowed to have what they voted for, and that’s where we are right now,” he said. He affirmed the administration’s commitment to pursuing its immigration agenda through the court system, including the Supreme Court.
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The Vice President linked his critique to the Trump administration’s broader immigration enforcement objectives, emphasizing the need for long-term solutions beyond mere deportation figures.
“Success to me is that we have established a set of rules and principles that the courts are comfortable with and that we have the infrastructure to do that allows us to deport large numbers of illegal aliens when large numbers of illegal aliens come into the country,” Vance explained. He acknowledged that achieving this “real success” depends not only on the administration’s efforts but also on the judiciary’s stance.
This clash highlights ongoing tensions surrounding immigration policy and the separation of powers. Notably, the Supreme Court in April temporarily blocked the Trump administration from utilizing the Alien Enemies Act of 1798 to deport alleged members of the Venezuelan gang Tren de Aragua (TdA).
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The ruling affirmed the right of those targeted for removal to challenge their deportation, thereby pausing a significant element of President Donald Trump’s strategy to combat criminal immigrant networks.
Trump issued multiple executive orders aimed at bolstering border security and curbing illegal immigration. These included designating TdA, MS-13, and Mexican drug cartels as foreign terrorist organizations.
On March 15th, he invoked the Alien Enemies Act in an effort to expedite the deportation of TdA members, citing national security concerns.
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