If even federal judges don’t feel safe—if they can’t protect themselves or their families—they’re starting to wonder how they’re supposed to keep doing their jobs and uphold the law fairly.
Some federal judges who were targeted by the Trump administration or his allies are now speaking out, even if it’s their first time doing so. They say things have gotten so bad that threats against judges are not just increasing—they’re getting more violent and personal than ever before.
One judge, John McConnell Jr. from Rhode Island, got a disturbing voicemail that was full of hate, racial slurs, and death threats. The caller said they wanted him dead and threatened to hurt his family too. This call came after McConnell blocked a move by the Trump administration to stop \$3 trillion in federal money from going to the states. That was just one of *400* threatening messages he received. Investigators even found that someone was trying to track down his home address and posted online that they wanted to “pay a visit” with a gun. McConnell got six credible death threats, and his family became targets too.
After he got involved in the funding case, a far-right activist named Laura Loomer posted a photo of McConnell’s daughter online. Elon Musk then reposted it to his huge audience, which made things worse. McConnell said his daughter, who once worked for the government, was “doxxed”—her personal information was shared publicly—and she also got threats. He spoke about all this during a legal conference meant to raise awareness about growing attacks on the courts.
McConnell has been a judge for nearly 15 years. He said this is the first time he’s ever questioned whether the legal system can survive this kind of pressure. He doesn’t want pity—he just wants to do his job safely, without being scared for himself or his family, and he wants people to speak up to defend the independence of the courts.
This kind of harassment isn’t just happening to one judge. Attacks, threats, and intimidation against judges are rising all over the country, no matter which president appointed them. But it’s gotten worse in the years since Trump took office. The U.S. Marshals Service says about one-third of all federal judges have received threats this year alone. And every time Trump attacks judges publicly, those threats tend to spike.
Judge John Coughenour from Washington state had police storm his home after someone falsely reported that he had killed his wife—a dangerous prank called “swatting.” Soon after, the FBI warned him there was supposedly a bomb at his house. There wasn’t, but it deeply shook him. He said that he signed up for this kind of risk by becoming a judge, but his wife and family didn’t.
Years ago, Coughenour traveled to countries like those in the former Soviet Union and parts of Asia to help promote fair courts. He remembered how much respect people had for America’s independent legal system. Now, he’s alarmed at how much damage is being done to that system, especially when politicians try to score points by attacking judges or ignoring court rulings. He said history shows that when leaders start rejecting the courts—like in Nazi Germany, Pol Pot’s Cambodia, or Rwanda—it’s a warning sign that democracy is in danger.
He called on judges and lawyers to stand up and say, “Not here. Not now.”
Another judge, Esther Salas from New Jersey, has been speaking out since 2020, when her son Daniel was murdered by a man who came to her home with a gun. Her husband was also shot but survived. Salas said Daniel would have turned 25 this month. She’s now urging politicians to stop using extreme, hateful language about judges. When they call judges corrupt, biased, or monsters, she said, it gives people permission to lash out violently. She said it’s okay to disagree with a ruling, but those disagreements should go through proper legal channels—not turn into personal attacks. Judges aren’t asking for praise—they just want to be safe doing their jobs.
Salas said that many judges, both Republican and Democrat appointees, are scared to speak out. But those who have done so hope it’ll help change things.
Judge McConnell, who is also facing an impeachment attempt by a group tied to Trump ally Stephen Miller, said he worries that people don’t realize just how serious this is. If judges are scared to rule fairly because they might be attacked, the whole legal system could fall apart.
Andrew Edney, a former president of a national group of trial lawyers, said people often hear about judges being threatened and don’t know how to respond. But one place to start, she said, is by talking more about the rule of law and how our government is supposed to work—three equal branches, with checks and balances.
It might seem like a small thing, she said, but talking about this with your family, your kids, or in schools helps. Civics education is part of the solution. People need to understand that if they don’t like a court ruling, there’s a process to appeal—not an excuse to threaten or attack.
Judge Robert Lasnik from Washington state added that this is actually one of the reasons the American Revolution happened in the first place. Under King George, judges worked directly for the king, and he could fire them or cut their pay whenever he wanted. The founding fathers rejected that idea. It’s one of the key reasons they wrote the Declaration of Independence.
So today, Lasnik says, it’s important to remember why we created independent courts in the first place—so no one, not even a president, could control them. That idea is just as important now as it was then.
