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In Brief:<\/p>\n
Chief Justice John Roberts<\/a> speaks in Hershey, Pennsylvania. HERSHEY, Pa. \u2014 U.S. Chief Justice John Roberts expressed concern on Wednesday about the public perception of the Supreme Court<\/a> as an institution driven primarily by political outcomes rather than the law at a time when some prominent voices have raised questions about the top U.S. judicial body\u2019s legitimacy.\n<\/p>\n Roberts, who has led the court since 2005, appeared to acknowledge dimming public approval of the court, shown in opinion polls over the past few years, as its conservative majority continues to push American law dramatically rightward.\n<\/p>\n \u201cAt a very basic level people think we\u2019re making policy decisions,\u201d Roberts told an audience of judges, attorneys and law students in Hershey, Pennsylvania.<\/p>\n \u201cI think they view us as purely political actors, which I don\u2019t think is an accurate understanding of what we do,\u201d Roberts said.\n<\/p>\n Roberts, appointed as chief justice by Republican former President George W. Bush, is seen as deeply conservative but also concerned about the court\u2019s institutional credibility and public perception.\n<\/p>\n Its current 6-3 conservative majority was established in 2020 when Republican President Donald Trump<\/a> made a third appointment of a justice to a lifetime position on the bench. Since then, it has delivered landmark rulings rolling back abortion rights and race-conscious affirmative action practices, expanding gun rights, expanding religious rights, limiting transgender rights and restricting federal regulatory power.<\/p>\n In another landmark ruling last week, it gutted a key provision of the Voting Rights Act<\/a>, making it harder for minorities to challenge electoral maps as racially discriminatory under this civil rights law. The ruling was a victory for Louisiana Republicans and Trump\u2019s administration.\n<\/p>\n A ruling authored by Roberts in 2024 granted Trump broad immunity from criminal prosecution over his efforts to undo his 2020 election loss to Democrat Joe Biden<\/a>, bolstering his bid to regain the presidency by effectively delaying a trial that ultimately never took place.\n<\/p>\n Since Trump returned to the presidency last year, the court has repeatedly taken emergency actions to let his far-reaching executive actions take effect pending legal challenges. In one setback for Trump, the court in another ruling authored by Roberts in February struck down Trump\u2019s signature global tariffs<\/a> issued under a law meant for use in national emergencies.\n<\/p>\n Interviewed on stage by a federal judge on Wednesday, Roberts was asked how the court is misunderstood. Roberts said that the justices are \u201cnot simply part of the political process,\u201d adding: \u201cI\u2019m not sure the people grasp that as much as is appropriate.\u201d\n<\/p>\n Kagan\u2019s concerns<\/p>\n
\nRoberts highlights public view of court as political actors.
\nCourt\u2019s 6-3 conservative majority<\/a> established in 2020.
\nRoberts authored ruling granting Trump immunity in 2024.<\/p>\n