Fact Check: Roberts publicly rebukes both Trump and Schumer for threatening remarks.

Fact Check: Roberts Publicly Rebukes Both Trump and Schumer for Threatening Remarks

What We Know

On June 28, 2025, Chief Justice John Roberts addressed the rising threats against judges during a judicial conference in Charlotte, North Carolina. He emphasized that heated rhetoric from elected officials can lead to violence against judges, stating, “It becomes wrapped up in the political dispute that a judge who’s doing his or her job is part of the problem” (AP News). While he did not name individuals, his comments were widely interpreted as references to both President Donald Trump and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer. Roberts noted that he has felt compelled to issue public rebukes of figures from both parties in recent years, highlighting the dangers of their rhetoric (Washington Post).

Roberts has previously rebuked Trump for calling a judge an “Obama judge” in 2018 and for demanding the impeachment of judges who ruled against his policies (Fox News). Similarly, he publicly criticized Schumer in 2020 for remarks suggesting that Justices Brett Kavanaugh and Neil Gorsuch would "pay the price" for their decisions, which Roberts deemed inappropriate and threatening (NBC News).

Analysis

The claim that Chief Justice Roberts publicly rebuked both Trump and Schumer is partially true. While Roberts did address the issue of political rhetoric and its consequences for judicial safety, he did not issue direct rebukes at the time of his recent comments. Instead, he referenced past instances where he had criticized both Trump and Schumer for their remarks.

Roberts on Trump: In 2018, Roberts responded to Trump’s labeling of a judge as an “Obama judge,” emphasizing the importance of judicial independence (AP News). This response was indeed a rebuke but occurred several years prior to his recent comments.
Roberts on Schumer: The Chief Justice's criticism of Schumer in 2020 was more direct, where he condemned Schumer's remarks as “inappropriate” and “dangerous” (NBC News). This rebuke was clear and specific, contrasting with the more generalized warnings he provided in 2025.

While Roberts did express concern about the rhetoric from both politicians, his recent comments were not explicit rebukes directed at them in the same manner as his previous statements. Therefore, while he has rebuked both in the past, the claim that he did so in a recent public address is somewhat misleading.

Conclusion

The verdict is Partially True. Chief Justice Roberts has indeed rebuked both Trump and Schumer for their past comments regarding judges, but his recent remarks were more about the general dangers of political rhetoric rather than specific rebukes of either individual at that time. This distinction is crucial in understanding the context of his statements.

Fact Check: Roberts publicly rebukes both Trump and Schumer for threatening remarks.