President Donald Trump took to his Truth Social platform on Sunday to amplify criticism of U.S. District Judge James Boasberg, sharing a post from a far-right social media personality known as “Insurrection Barbie.” The post mischaracterized remarks Boasberg made in 2023 about legal challenges surrounding the January 6 Capitol riot cases—a claim that was swiftly debunked by a legal affairs reporter.
Boasberg, who has drawn Trump’s ire following his recent ruling halting the deportation of Venezuelan immigrants to a third country’s prison, was accused by the influencer of showing bias in his handling of January 6-related cases.
More: Justice Clarence Thomas Denies Appeal for Florida Death Row Inmate Execution
More: Trump Praises Tech-Savvy Son Barron on 19th Birthday as Youngest Trump Launches Real Estate Venture
“In a speech given to law students on January 24, 2023, Judge Boasberg (who heard many J6 cases) openly admitted that he didn’t think harsh enough laws existed on the books to punish J6 defendants,” the post read. The influencer went on to claim Boasberg believed the punishments were insufficient and that he was seeking ways to treat the defendants more harshly.
Trump reposted the commentary on his platform with his own critique: “But he doesn’t mind if criminals come into our Country. He is a Constitutional disaster!” However, legal experts quickly pointed out the inaccuracies in the interpretation of Boasberg’s remarks. Kyle Cheney, a senior legal affairs reporter at Politico, responded directly to the viral claims.
“This post flying around is a total misread of Boasberg’s remarks,” Cheney wrote. “He didn’t suggest Congress pass new laws to punish J6ers. He was saying the courts were dealing with relatively untested issues, laws that didn’t neatly fit the conduct (because Jan. 6 was a sui generis crime)…”
Cheney explained that Boasberg’s reference to “a lot of law still to be made” was not a call for legislative action, but rather an acknowledgment of how precedent-setting rulings from higher courts, like the Supreme Court, would eventually clarify how to interpret and apply existing laws to the unprecedented events of January 6.
More: White House Press Secretary Slams Gov. Tim Walz After Tesla Takedown: “Living a Sad Existence”
More: No, Biden Didn’t Strand NASA Astronauts in Space: Debunking Trump and Musk’s Viral Claim
“It’s now been amplified by both President Trump and Elon Musk based on an illiterate understanding of how judges speak about ‘case law,’” Cheney concluded.
As misinformation continues to circulate in political circles online, the exchange highlights the ongoing tension between Trump and the judiciary, particularly in cases related to immigration, January 6, and the legal fallout from his presidency.
READ NEXT:
- “She’s Very Lonely” Jennifer Aniston Struggles to Find Love as Ex Moves On
- “It’s Literally a Federal Crime” Trump Slammed for Threatening to Use IRS Against Critics in Fiery Oval Office Rant
- Single Dad Lured to Fake Date and Murdered by Teen Girl’s Boyfriend
- Ben Affleck talks about Jennifer Lopez in a recent appearance
- “Trump Just Met His Match” Robert Reich Says China, Harvard and Supreme Court Are Ready to Crush His Power Plays