03-18-2025
Many judges who have made rulings that do not align with the current presidential administration have faced physical and job threats from Elon Musk and other supporters. Musk and other administration allies have publicly tried to discredit judges who have ruled against their efforts to fire federal employees and dismantle programs. They have called for judicial impeachment and attacked the judges’ integrity. According to Reuters, Musk has posted more than 30 times about judges, calling them “corrupt,” “radical,” and “evil,” and derided the “TYRANNY of the JUDICIARY.” He also reposted many tweets by others who have similarly attacked federal judges. As the owner of X, Musk’s posts are amplified.
Reuters interviewed eleven federal judges. They shared heightened concerns over their physical security and the rise in violent threats. At the end of 2024, Supreme Court Chief Justice John Roberts warned about these rising threats to the judiciary’s independence because of the calls for violence. Two New York federal judges received extra security after they ruled that DOGE could not access sensitive Treasury Department data. Some D.C. federal judges received unexpected pizza deliveries at their homes—law enforcement has interpreted the gestures as a form of intimidation demonstrating that a target’s address was known (Reuters). Supreme Court Justice Amy Coney Barrett’s sister received a bomb threat. Justice Barrett voted against Trump’s effort to freeze foreign aid.
It is not only the judiciary that the administration is attacking. President Trump has signed executive orders targeting specific law firms that he does not like, such as Perkins Coie. The firm has said the order impacted its business, with longtime clients ending their relationships and a federal prosecutor who refused to meet with the firm regarding its client.