Who Is Judge James Boasberg? DOJ Accuses Top Federal Judge Of Misconduct Over Anti-Trump Remarks

The Department of Justice officialy accused US District Court Chief Judge James Boasberg of judicial misconduct for his public comments he allegedly made about President Donald Trump. The complaint reportedly was submitted by Chad Mizelle, Chief of Staff to Attorney General Pam Bondi, and addressed to Chief Judge Sri Srinivasan of the US Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit.

What is The Complaint Against Judge James Boasberg?

Mizelle wrote in the complaint, “the Department of Justice respectfully submits this complaint alleging misconduct by U.S. District Court Chief Judge James E. Boasberg for making improper public comments about President Donald J. Trump to the Chief Justice of the United States and other federal judges that have undermined the integrity and impartiality of the judiciary.”

Judge Boasberg is currently overseeing a significant case involving the deportation of multiple migrants to El Salvador. He recently considered holding DOJ attorneys in contempt, alleging they failed to comply with his directive to turn around planes transporting the migrants. Former President Trump has also made public criticisms of Boasberg.

Details of Complaint Two Incidents

The Justice Department cites two specific occasions in which Boasberg allegedly violated judicial conduct guidelines.

According to the filing, on March 11, 2025, Boasberg participated in a session of the Judicial Conference of the United States, a body typically focused on administrative matters such as court budgets, security, and facilities. During that session, Boasberg reportedly addressed Chief Justice John Roberts and approximately two dozen other federal judges.

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The complaint states, “while there, Judge Boasberg attempted to improperly influence Chief Justice Roberts and roughly two dozen other federal judges by straying from the traditional topics to express his belief that the Trump Administration would ‘disregard rulings of federal courts’ and trigger ‘a constitutional crisis.’

Judge James Boasberg Accused of Bias

The complaint further accuses Boasberg of taking action aligned with his alleged bias shortly after making those remarks.

“Within days of those statements, Judge Boasberg began acting on his preconceived belief that the Trump Administration would not follow court orders. First, although he lacked authority to do so, he issued a temporary restraining order preventing the Government from removing violent Tren de Aragua terrorists, which the Supreme Court summarily vacated.”

Mizelle concluded the complaint by stating, “Taken together, Judge Boasberg’s words and deeds violate Canons of the Code of Conduct for United States Judges, and, erode public confidence in judicial neutrality, and warrant a formal investigation.”

Who is Judge James Boasberg?

Judge James Boasberg, currently the chief judge of the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia, was appointed to the federal bench in 2010 by then-President Barack Obama.

In 2014, Chief Justice John Roberts selected Boasberg to serve a seven-year term on the U.S. Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court (FISA Court). The FISA Court is made up of 11 federal judges who undergo comprehensive background checks and are responsible for authorizing surveillance and wiretaps sought by federal prosecutors and intelligence agencies. Much of their work remains classified.

Boasberg is a graduate of Yale, Oxford University, and Yale Law School. He previously clerked for the U.S. Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals and served as a federal prosecutor with the Department of Justice in Washington, D.C.

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