President Trump on Tuesday called for the impeachment of a federal judge who directed flights carrying Venezuelan migrants to be turned around in what has become a contentious battle with the administration.
Trump in a post on Truth Social decried U.S. District Court Judge James Boasberg as a “troublemaker and agitator.” He noted that Boasberg was an Obama appointee, and suggested he did not have the same authority as Trump because he was not elected.
“I’m just doing what the VOTERS wanted me to do,” Trump posted. “This judge, like many of the Crooked Judges’ I am forced to appear before, should be IMPEACHED!!!”
Boasberg is unlikely to be impeached, as it would require a majority in the House and a two-thirds majority in the Senate.
Trump’s attacks on Boasberg follow attacks from various administration officials who questioned the judge’s authority to intervene in the president’s deportation efforts.
Boasberg lashed out at the Trump administration during a Monday hearing for refusing to answer questions about flights deporting Venezuelan migrants under the Alien Enemies Act after he ordered them to turn around the planes.
A Justice Department attorney repeatedly declined to provide details about the flights that landed in El Salvador on Saturday evening, saying he was “not authorized” to do so, a rare instance of an attorney rebuffing a judge’s questions.
Last week during a speech at the Justice Department, Trump said it was “probably illegal” to criticize judges.
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