U.S. Chief Justice John Roberts underscored his defense of the American judiciary on Wednesday amid verbal attacks by President Donald Trump and his allies on judges who have impeded aspects of his sweeping agenda,

Chief Justice John Roberts stressed the importance of judicial independence during public remarks Wednesday, noting that the judiciary’s role as a co-equal branch of government is central to the nation’s political system.

Roberts's defense of an independent judiciary comes as Trump and his allies have accused federal judges of being partisan.