Analysis: John Roberts told Donald Trump exactly what he thinks | CNN Politics

When Chief Justice John Roberts and the eight associate justices took the Supreme Court bench on Wednesday for a fundamental debate over American identity, they did not acknowledge the presence of Donald Trump in the courtroom. That was not unexpected: Wednesday marked the first time in modern history that the president of the United States attended an oral argument. But Trump was there as a litigant and spectator, not in any formal role. Then, in a move that was surprising, Roberts showed his hand. The chief justice can be cagey during arguments. In high-profile cases, he often sends mixed signals and keeps his options open. But during the momentous session, Roberts made plain his skepticism for the Trump position that would upend more than a century of constitutional history and tradition. The chief justice cast doubt on the Trump administration’s alternative view of the reach of the 14th Amendment’s birthright citizenship guarantee. Takeaways from the Supreme Court arguments on Trump’s effort to end automatic birthright citizenship Roberts particularly dismissed US Solicitor General John Sauer’s contention that contemporary immigration problems require a revision of the