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Chief Justice Responds To Trump's Criticism Of 'Obama Judge'

The president criticized what he called an "Obama judge" for blocking his administration's new asylum rules.
Posted at 6:06 PM, Nov 21, 2018
and last updated 2018-11-21 18:06:06-05

Supreme Court Chief Justice John Roberts pushed back against the White House's recent criticism of the judiciary on Wednesday.

Responding to an Associated Press inquiry, Roberts issued a statement praising the independence of the judiciary and said, "We do not have Obama judges or Trump judges." 

"Obama judge" is what President Donald Trump called a 9th Circuit Court of Appeals judge who recently put a halt to his administration's new asylum rules.

He defended his use of the term and responded to Roberts in a tweet Wednesday. Trump suggested the 9th Circuit wasn't independent and said the number of border-related cases it has overturned was "shocking." 

Roberts has in the past warned against the politicization of the judiciary in the face of high-profile confirmation fights and repeated criticism from the president

Additional reporting by Newsy affiliate CNN