In this New York Times opinion video, U.S. District Judge Esther Salas warns that escalating political attacks on the judiciary are directly endangering judges and undermining the rule of law. Drawing on her personal experience — including the 2020 murder of her son, Daniel Anderl, by a litigant seeking revenge — Salas describes a sharp rise in threats against judges, including death threats, bomb threats, doxxing, swatting, and intimidation tactics such as anonymous pizza deliveries meant to signal “we know where you live.”
Salas argues that this surge in violence and intimidation is being fueled by political rhetoric from the Trump administration and its allies, who routinely label judges as “rogue,” “corrupt,” or enemies of the executive. According to Salas, such rhetoric erodes public trust in judicial independence and normalizes the idea that judges owe loyalty to political leaders rather than to the Constitution and the public.
Beyond the immediate security risks, Salas highlights the long-term institutional consequences: experienced judges may leave the bench, qualified candidates may decline judicial appointments, and sitting judges may feel pressure to decide cases based on personal safety rather than legal merit. She concludes that attacks on judges ultimately harm ordinary citizens, especially those facing powerful opponents, because without an independent judiciary, equal justice under law cannot survive.