These are the federal judges Republicans aim to impeach
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Rep. Andy Ogles speaks to House Speaker Mike Johnson and Reps. Andrew Clyde and Dusty Johnson on the U.S. House floor on Jan. 3. Photo: Tom Williams/CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty Images
House Republicans are targeting a growing cohort of federal judges with impeachment for issuing rulings unfavorable to the Trump administration.
Why it matters: It's a stark break with tradition as judges until now have been impeached mainly for gross personal misconduct, financial corruption or other serious criminal offenses.
- Trump has fueled the effort by advocating judicial impeachments, though some GOP lawmakers have expressed pause.
- U.S. Supreme Court Chief Justice John Roberts also pushed back Tuesday, saying in a rare statement: "For more than two centuries, it has been established that impeachment is not an appropriate response to disagreement concerning a judicial decision."
- "The normal appellate review process exists for that purpose," Roberts said.
By the numbers: House Republicans have introduced or threatened articles of impeachment against more than a half-dozen federal district court judges who ruled against Trump.
- House Republican leaders have not ruled out holding impeachment votes, but with a two-seat majority and some Republicans uncomfortable with the idea, they could be a heavy lift.
- To actually remove any of these judges, all Senate Republicans and at least 14 Democrats would have to vote to convict them — likely an impossible threshold.
James Boasberg — Chief Judge, District of Columbia
- Boasberg incurred Trump's wrath by ordering a plane deporting roughly 250 alleged Venezuelan gang members turned around as he adjudicated the administration's use of the Alien Enemies Act of 1789.
- Trump said Tuesday in a post on Truth Social: "This judge, like many of the Crooked Judges' I am forced to appear before, should be IMPEACHED!!!"
- Rep. Brandon Gill (R-Texas) quickly introduced articles of impeachment the same day accusing Boasberg of abuse of power, backed by five Republican co-sponsors.
Paul Engelmayer — Southern District of New York
- Engelmayer issued a ruling last month blocking DOGE from accessing Department of Treasury records with sensitive personal data.
- Reps. Derrick Van Orden (R-Ariz.) and Eli Crane (R-Ariz.) have both introduced articles of impeachment against Engelmayer. Crane's measure has seven GOP co-sponsors.
John Bates — District of Columbia
- Bates ordered the Trump administration to restore health agency websites that were shut down by an executive order cracking down on Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI).
- Rep. Andy Ogles (R-Tenn.) introduced articles of impeachment against Bates last month homing in on "socially divisive and destructive LGBTQI+ content" on the sites.
- Ogles accused Bates of "conduct so utterly lacking in intellectual honesty and basic integrity that he is guilty of high crimes and misdemeanors."
Amir Ali — District of Columbia
- Ali ruled that Trump lacks "unbounded power" to curtail foreign aid that has been appropriated by congress, ordering the administration to restart frozen aid payments.
- Ogles introduced articles of impeachment against Ali last month calling his ruling "arbitrary and capricious" and, as with Bates, accusing him of "lacking in intellectual honesty and basic integrity."
John J. McConnell Jr. — District of Rhode Island
- McConnell blocked an Office of Management and Budget order in January temporarily freezing all federal grant, loan and financial assistance programs.
- Rep. Andrew Clyde (R-Ga.) said last month he plans to introduce articles of impeachment against McConnell.
Adam Abelson — District of Maryland
- Abelson issued an order last month blocking Trump's executive order to end all federal funding for programs promoting DEI.
- Crane, in a post on X, floated impeaching Abselson, with Trump confidante Elon Musk also expressing his support for the idea.
Theodore Chuang — District of Maryland
- Chuang ruled this week that the Trump administration likely violated the Constitution by shutting down the U.S. Agency for International Development.
- Ogles, in a post on X, said: "Impeach him!"
