A surge in threats against federal judges has raised alarms about the safety of the U.S. judiciary and the integrity of democratic institutions. Since Donald Trump’s presidency, intimidation of judges has escalated dramatically, with 162 judges threatened in just six weeks this year—more than double the number recorded over the previous five months.
At a recent panel, judges described relentless harassment. Judge Jack McConnell received six credible death threats after blocking a funding freeze. Judge John Coughenour, who ruled against Trump’s birthright citizenship order, was “swatted” at home. Judge Esther Salas, whose son was murdered in 2020, revealed that pizzas are now being delivered to judges’ homes in her son’s name, a chilling signal that “we know where you live.”
While judges have also faced threats from extremists on the Left—such as the 2022 armed arrest outside Justice Brett Kavanaugh’s home—this wave is seen as distinct. Judge Salas emphasized that the danger today stems from top-down political rhetoric, with Trump labeling judges “monsters,” “deranged,” and “USA hating.”
Commentators warn that such hostility could erode judicial independence, as judges may begin weighing personal safety over impartial rulings. Scholars argue that beyond calls for civility, Congress and state legislatures must bolster security and monitoring to protect judges.
As The Bulwark’s Jonathan Last cautioned, the judiciary is one of the last institutions capable of resisting Trump’s authoritarian push—and the intimidation campaign may be designed to weaken it. Whether these threats are background noise or harbingers of something more ominous, they underscore the precarious state of the rule of law in today’s America.