Pamela Karlan, a law professor at Stanford, cautioned that the chief justice’s success in advancing his agenda did little to enhance the legitimacy of the court he leads, another one of his signature goals.

“In the short run, the chief had an excellent term,” she said, noting that he had achieved longstanding goals on voting rights and executive power. “But in the longer run,” she added, “I’m not sure he can manage to reverse the court’s sinking capital with the public, especially with so many high-profile 6-3 decisions that benefit the Trump administration in one way or another.”