House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) said Wednesday he'd back impeachment articles against two federal judges, joining a conservative push targeting jurists who've repeatedly ruled against President Donald Trump and his administration's policies.

When Judges Rule Against You, Impeach Them?

At a Capitol news conference, Johnson was asked about calls to impeach US District Judges James Boasberg of Washington, D.C., and Deborah Boardman of Maryland. His response was direct: "I'm for it. Judge Boasberg is one who's been mentioned. And these are some egregious abuses," according to The Hill.

Johnson, a former constitutional law attorney who once served on the House Judiciary Committee (which handles impeachment articles), acknowledged that impeachment is "an extreme measure." But he quickly added that "extreme times call for extreme measures." He argued that some judges have ventured "so far outside the bounds of where they're supposed to operate" that Congress might need to "make an example of some of these egregious abuses." He didn't commit to bringing it to a floor vote, saying only, "We'll see where it goes."

What Did These Judges Actually Do?

Both Boasberg and Boardman have become GOP targets after issuing rulings that blocked or limited Trump administration initiatives. Boasberg halted deportations under the Alien Enemies Act, pursued contempt charges over ignored court orders, and advanced January 6-related subpoenas and testimony demands.

Boardman stopped Trump's birthright citizenship order, restricted data-sharing with the Department of Government Efficiency, and drew particular Republican fury for sentencing Nicholas Roske to eight years in prison—a decision made with reference to Trump-era prison housing policies.

Rep. Brandon Gill (R-Texas) has already filed impeachment articles accusing Boasberg of "abuse of power," while Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) held a hearing this month claiming both judges violated their constitutional duties.

Cruz has focused heavily on Boardman's eight-year sentence for Sophie (Nicholas) Roske, who traveled to Maryland intending to kill Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh. That sentence fell far short of prosecutors' request for at least 30 years. Rep. Chip Roy (R-Texas) introduced a separate resolution to impeach Boardman for "willful and systemic refusal to comply with the law."

Impeaching Judges Is Really, Really Rare

There's a reason impeachment talk raises eyebrows. Since the nation's founding, the House has impeached just 15 federal judges, and the Senate has removed only eight. Those removals typically involved actual crimes like bribery or perjury, not controversial rulings, according to Ballotpedia.

Chief Justice John Roberts and legal scholars have previously warned that weaponizing impeachment to punish judicial decisions risks undermining judicial independence—a foundational principle of American government. That concern will likely shadow any impeachment effort Johnson decides to pursue, assuming this moves beyond tough talk at press conferences.