Chief Justice John Roberts defended the U.S. Supreme Court against accusations of political bias during a May 6 conference in Hershey, Pennsylvania. Roberts insisted that justices are not "political actors" and that court decisions, even unpopular ones, are based solely on the law. His remarks came amid low public confidence in the court, particularly after a recent ruling that weakened the Voting Rights Act and struck down a majority-Black congressional district in Louisiana as an unconstitutional racial gerrymander.
Roberts acknowledged that some Americans view the court as partisan, but he argued that such perceptions are misguided. "I think, at a very basic level, people think we’re making policy decisions," he said. "We're saying we think this is how things should be, as opposed to what the law provides." He emphasized that the court is "simply not part of the political process," though he conceded that some rulings may be unpopular.
The court’s conservative majority has recently issued landmark decisions, including overturning the constitutional right to abortion, expanding gun rights, and ending affirmative action in higher education. Roberts did not address specific cases but urged critics to focus on rulings rather than personal attacks. He also condemned threats against lower-court judges, calling such behavior "not appropriate and it can lead to very serious problems."
Roberts’ comments followed a heated exchange between conservative and liberal justices over the Voting Rights Act decision. Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson criticized the court for intervening in a technical dispute, while conservative justices Samuel Alito, Clarence Thomas, and Neil Gorsuch defended the court’s actions. The court is currently handling major cases involving President Donald Trump’s executive powers, with one decision already issued in February.