Roberts, as the head of the federal judiciary, has been facing mounting pressure to protect the courts from political interference. With a lifetime appointment, it remains to be seen whether the 70-year-old Chief Justice will take further steps to defend judicial independence as Trump continues his broadsides against the judiciary.

After weeks of silence to Trump’s rants against the judiciary, Roberts was likely provoked on Tuesday by a heated post referring to a federal judge currently handling a migrant deportation case as “crooked.” Trump declared the judge “should be IMPEACHED!!!”