On Tuesday, July 29, 2025, AP News reported that the Justice Department filed a misconduct complaint against U.S. District Judge James E. Boasberg, who has ongoing disputes with the Trump administration regarding deportations to El Salvador. Attorney General Pam Bondi announced on social media that she initiated the complaint due to Boasberg’s alleged improper public comments regarding President Trump and his administration.
The complaint highlights remarks Boasberg reportedly made during a meeting with Chief Justice John Roberts and other federal judges in March. According to the complaint, Boasberg suggested that the administration’s actions could provoke a constitutional crisis by ignoring federal court rulings. The Justice Department claims these comments have compromised the judiciary’s integrity and impartiality, asserting that the administration has consistently adhered to court orders.
Boasberg has been among several judges questioning whether the Trump administration has complied with judicial orders. His concerns became particularly pronounced after he issued a ruling to block deportation flights to El Salvador that were being conducted under wartime authorities. The Trump administration ignored his order, prompting Boasberg to determine that there was probable cause for contempt of court by the administration.
The remarks made by Boasberg were first disclosed by the conservative outlet The Federalist, which obtained a memo summarizing the Judicial Conference meeting. As the chief judge in the district court for the nation’s capital, Boasberg is a member of the Judicial Conference, whose sessions are not open to the public.
The complaint, filed with Judge Sri Srinivasan, chief judge of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit, requests an investigation into Boasberg’s conduct, the reassignment of ongoing deportation cases to another judge during the inquiry, and potential sanctions, which could include a recommendation for impeachment if the allegations are validated.
President Trump has previously called for Boasberg’s impeachment, prompting a rare public response from Chief Justice Roberts, who rejected the impeachment call.
Source: AP News
