US: Trump rows with top judge after blaming court defeat on ‘Obama judge’

Donald Trump

Justice John Roberts, the Chief Justice of the United States, hit back in defence of the independence of the judiciary after Trump criticised Judge Jon Tigar of the US Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit.

Judge Tigar, who was appointed by former president Barack Obama, last week temporarily blocked a presidential order refusing asylum to people crossing the US-Mexico border illegally.

Trump’s criticism of Judge Tigar drew a rare rebuke from Justice Roberts, who was appointed to the Supreme Court of the United States by former president George W. Bush.

Justice Roberts said: “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. That independent judiciary is something we should all be thankful for.”

However, Trump responded on Twitter: “Sorry Chief Justice John Roberts, but you do indeed have ‘Obama judges’, and they have a much different point of view than the people who are charged with the safety of our country.”

In subsequent tweets, he further criticised the Ninth Circuit, which he called “a complete and total disaster” which is “out of control, has a horrible reputation [and] is overturned more than any other circuit in the country”.