U.S. Supreme Court Chief Justice John Roberts offered a rare rebuke on Wednesday of President Donald Trump — after the commander-in-chief railed against the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals because a judge temporarily blocked the administration’s new asylum policy.

Former President Barack Obama nominated U.S. District Judge Jon S. Tigar to the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California in 2012.

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Tigar temporarily blocked the Trump administration on Monday from enforcing a new asylum policy that barred illegal immigrants from claiming asylum unless they entered at an official port of entry.

Trump blasted Tigar as an “Obama judge” on Tuesday and told reporters the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals is “a disgrace” because his administration “cannot win.”

“Every case that gets filed in the 9th Circuit, we get beaten. And then we end up having to go to the Supreme Court, like the travel ban, and we won,” Trump said. “This was an Obama judge. And I’ll tell you what, it’s not going to happen like this anymore.”

Trump said, “It’s a disgrace what happens with the 9th Circuit” — and insisted that “we will win that case in the Supreme Court of the United States.”

Although Supreme Court judges make public swipes against presidents’ words, Roberts (pictured above right) waded into the controversy in a statement on Wednesday after receiving a query from the Associated Press.

“We do not have Obama judges or Trump judges, Bush judges or Clinton judges,” Roberts said.

“What we have is an extraordinary group of dedicated judges doing their level best to do equal right to those appearing before them.”

“That independent judiciary is something we should all be thankful for,” Roberts emphasized.

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Roberts’ criticism earned a reply from Trump on Twitter.

Related: Judicial Overreach Is at Work Against Trump on Asylum Issues, Says Former Immigration Judge

“Sorry Chief Justice John Roberts, but you do indeed have ‘Obama judges,’ and they have a much different point of view than the people who are charged with the safety of our country. It would be great if the 9th Circuit was indeed an ‘independent judiciary,’ but if it is why … are so many opposing view (on Border and Safety) cases filed there, and why are a vast number of those cases overturned?” Trump tweeted.

“Please study the numbers, they are shocking. We need protection and security — these rulings are making our country unsafe! Very dangerous and unwise!” the president added.

After Roberts offered his rebuke, Twitter erupted — and plenty of liberals went out of their way to use this as an opportunity to slam the president.

“Thank you Justice Roberts. Why does it always seem like the Judiciary has to keep telling @realDonaldTrump and his Administration to do the right thing? #WednesdayWisdom,” vocal anti-Trump Rep. Ted Lieu (D-Calif.) tweeted.

“The most stunning thing about this John Roberts statement is that he gave it to the AP, not during public remarks or in a law journal or any of the myriad ways he could have softened its edges. He wanted it out there and now, through the front door,” NBC News reporter Alex Seitz-Wald tweeted.”

“Thanks Chief Justice Roberts for your powerful rebuke to Trump — refuting his demagogic denunciation of an ‘Obama judge.’ When the history of this dark era is written, our independent judiciary (& free press) will be the heroes. Our gratitude goes to them this Thanksgiving,” Sen. Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.) gushed.

“It is long past time to check the autocratic words and actions of Trump. Nice to learn that Chief Justice Roberts has a spine. Maybe Mitch [McConnell] and a few more Congressional Republicans can stand up to their President, and rebuke his dictatorial disposition!” CNN contributor and former Nixon White House counsel John Dean tweeted.

CNN legal analyst and former prosecutor Renato Mariotti reacted to Trump’s response to Roberts, writing, “Trump’s attack on Chief Justice Roberts is just his latest assault on our independent judiciary. He attacks judges, the press, the FBI and the Justice Department because they can check his power and hold him accountable. This is a serious threat to the rule of law.”

Not to be outdone, MSNBC anchor Craig Melvin praised Roberts, tweeting, “Our Chief Justice wants to make certain we all know he works for us. Not him. A rare, and notably public, rebuke.”

NBC News’ Tom Brokaw wrote, “Chief justice robert’s rebuke of p. trump’s reaction to a 9th circuit judge’s ruling on immigrants was welcome and important. the constitutional framework of the American govt is designed to withstand presidential abuse. no trump hissy fit will change that.”

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