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John Roberts told Donald Trump exactly what he thinks
Politics
8 min read
John Roberts told Donald Trump exactly what he thinks
By Joan Biskupic, CNN Chief Supreme Court Analyst
Apr 2, 2026
President Donald Trump gestures to Supreme Court Chief Justice John Roberts after being sworn in at his inauguration in the US Capitol Rotunda on January 20, 2025. (Kenny Holston/Pool/Getty Images/File)
When Chief Justice John Roberts and the eight associate justices took the Supreme Court bench on Wednesday for a fundamental debate over American identity, they did not acknowledge the presence of Donald Trump in the courtroom. ... That was not unexpected: Wednesday marked the first time in modern history that the president of the United States attended an oral argument. But Trump was there as a litigant and spectator, not in any formal role.
Then, in a move that was surprising, Roberts showed his hand. ... The chief justice can be cagey during arguments. In high-profile cases, he often sends mixed signals and keeps his options open. ... But during the momentous session, Roberts made plain his skepticism for the Trump position that would upend more than a century of constitutional history and tradition. The chief justice cast doubt on the Trump administration’s alternative view of the reach of the 14th Amendment’s birthright citizenship guarantee.
Roberts particularly dismissed US Solicitor General John Sauer’s contention that contemporary immigration problems require a revision of the understanding that virtually all children born on US soil become American citizens, irrespective of their parents’ immigration status.
Echoing Trump assertions, Sauer argued that “a sprawling industry of birth tourism” has led to “uncounted thousands of foreigners from potentially hostile nations” arriving in the US to have their children here. ... “We’re in a new world now,” Sauer told Roberts, “where 8 billion people are one plane ride away from having a child who’s a US citizen.” ... “Well, it’s a new world,” Roberts rejoined. “It’s the same Constitution.”
{snip}
8 min read
John Roberts told Donald Trump exactly what he thinks
By Joan Biskupic, CNN Chief Supreme Court Analyst
Apr 2, 2026
President Donald Trump gestures to Supreme Court Chief Justice John Roberts after being sworn in at his inauguration in the US Capitol Rotunda on January 20, 2025. (Kenny Holston/Pool/Getty Images/File)
When Chief Justice John Roberts and the eight associate justices took the Supreme Court bench on Wednesday for a fundamental debate over American identity, they did not acknowledge the presence of Donald Trump in the courtroom. ... That was not unexpected: Wednesday marked the first time in modern history that the president of the United States attended an oral argument. But Trump was there as a litigant and spectator, not in any formal role.
Then, in a move that was surprising, Roberts showed his hand. ... The chief justice can be cagey during arguments. In high-profile cases, he often sends mixed signals and keeps his options open. ... But during the momentous session, Roberts made plain his skepticism for the Trump position that would upend more than a century of constitutional history and tradition. The chief justice cast doubt on the Trump administration’s alternative view of the reach of the 14th Amendment’s birthright citizenship guarantee.
Roberts particularly dismissed US Solicitor General John Sauer’s contention that contemporary immigration problems require a revision of the understanding that virtually all children born on US soil become American citizens, irrespective of their parents’ immigration status.
Echoing Trump assertions, Sauer argued that “a sprawling industry of birth tourism” has led to “uncounted thousands of foreigners from potentially hostile nations” arriving in the US to have their children here. ... “We’re in a new world now,” Sauer told Roberts, “where 8 billion people are one plane ride away from having a child who’s a US citizen.” ... “Well, it’s a new world,” Roberts rejoined. “It’s the same Constitution.”
{snip}
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