Chief Justice John Roberts addressed Tuesday the brutal, highly contentious battle surrounding the confirmation of Brett Kavanaugh to the Supreme Court, emphasizing the high court’s independence from the other branches of government and its mission to “serve one nation.”

“I have great respect for our public officials. After all, they speak for the people and that commands a certain degree of humility from those of us in the judicial branch who do not,” Roberts said during remarks at the University of Minnesota Law School.