In April, US District Judge James Boasberg's ruling that Trump administration officials could face criminal contempt charges for defying a court order sparked an immediate backlash from the president's supporters, who unleashed threats and violent posts targeting Boasberg and his family, a Reuters special report showed.

Similarly, Judge John McConnell faced harassment after ruling against Trump's authority over educational grants. Far-right provocateur Laura Loomer launched an attack on McConnell’s daughter online, a post amplified by billionaire Elon Musk to his millions of followers.

This resulted in over 600 threats and calls directed at McConnell's courthouse. According to a Reuters investigation, Boasberg and McConnell are among at least 11 federal judges whose families have been threatened after ruling against the Trump administration.

Trump, allies intimidate 'radical left' judges

An intimidation campaign is targeting federal judges who have opposed Trump’s efforts to expand presidential power and reduce federal bureaucracy. Trump and his allies have called for judges' impeachment or labeled them as "radical left", and their families have become targets of harassment. Since Trump's return to power in January, at least 60 judges have blocked or slowed his initiatives. However, a dozen federal judges expressed concerns about the safety of their families, with many requesting anonymity to avoid worsening security fears or questioning their impartiality.

Since February, over 600 social media posts targeted the family members of judges who opposed the Trump administration, attacking their appearance and patriotism and even calling for violence, retaliation, or arrest. These posts, amplified by figures like Elon Musk, have been viewed over 200 million times.

Between 'crooked' and 'rogue', US judiciary in desperate straits

Additionally, some threats were made via calls, emails, and even anonymously sent pizzas to judges’ homes, signaling a disturbing level of intimidation. Trump and his allies have further demonized these judges, calling them "crooked" and "rogue", while insisting they cannot allow judges to obstruct his actions.

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“We cannot allow a handful of communist radical left judges to obstruct the enforcement of our laws and assume the duties that belong solely to the president of the United States,” Trump said in a rally on Tuesday.

Marshals inaction

In March, Trump called for the impeachment of a judge, which led to a rebuke from Chief Justice John Roberts. Legal experts and judges, including Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson, warned that such attacks threaten judicial independence and could incite violence. A Reuters review of hundreds of online posts across platforms, including X and far-right sites, found calls for at least 51 federal judges to be fired, arrested, or killed, often using terms like "radical" or "leftist". These judges had handled cases related to Trump’s administration. The US Marshals Service declined to comment on the threats.

The Judicial Conference has requested more security funding due to rising threats against judges, citing past violence and growing risks to their families. At a Senate hearing, Trump’s nominee to lead the US Marshals, Gadyaces Serralta, pledged to prioritize judicial safety. Judges see these threats as part of a broader campaign by Trump and his allies to intimidate the judiciary and silence opposition. Senator Lisa Murkowski admitted Trump's influence has made lawmakers reluctant to speak out.

Harassment grows more personal, dangerous

Elon Musk has intensified threats against federal judges by amplifying false and inflammatory posts about their families. In February, he falsely accused Judge John Bates' wife of corruption, sparking violent online reactions. Judge James Boasberg’s family, particularly his daughter, was similarly targeted after he blocked a Trump deportation plan. Musk and Laura Loomer shared personal photos and spread misleading claims about her nonprofit work, prompting threats of violence and deportation. The harassment escalated after a second ruling by Boasberg, with over 370 hostile posts, most on X, reaching more than 119 million views. Loomer also attacked Boasberg’s brother over past immigration policies.

Loomer misrepresented Thomas Boasberg's stance on immigration, claiming he would "never enforce immigration laws" and accusing the Boasberg family of protecting illegal immigrants. This led to multiple threats against Judge Boasberg, with some commenters calling for his arrest or accusing him of treason. In response, the US Marshals assigned a security detail to Boasberg in March. However, protecting adult children or independent relatives poses a significant challenge due to staffing shortages at the Marshals Service, a concern raised by former Marshals officials.

With high-profile cases come more threats, harassment

Judges are increasingly facing threats and harassment, not only from disgruntled litigants but also from politically motivated individuals, particularly in high-profile cases. This surge in online threats has led some judges and their families to take security precautions, such as altering travel habits. The experience can be terrifying for those targeted, as evidenced by one judge’s relative who received escalating threats from Trump supporters. The fear and intimidation are overwhelming, with some threats including violent language and explicit imagery. Law experts warn that this environment could deter qualified candidates from joining the judiciary.

Trump continued to target judges who ruled against his interests, particularly those who blocked his efforts to overturn the 2020 election.

Though Democrats have been more restrained, Senator Chuck Schumer drew criticism in 2020 for warning Justices Kavanaugh and Gorsuch would "pay the price" over abortion rulings, a comment he later regretted. It resurfaced in 2022 after a man was charged with plotting to kill Kavanaugh. In March, the judiciary launched a task force to improve judge security, but attacks from Trump and allies, including calls for removals by former Attorney General Pam Bondi, have continued.

Personal lives under siege

A federal judge told Reuters that the inflammatory rhetoric from the Trump administration fuels the hostility directed at judges and expressed concern that it might eventually provoke violent actions. “The Justice Department doesn't understand the fire they're dealing with,” the judge expressed, adding that "the public discussion of ‘out-of-control judges’ turns out the crazy.”

Compounding these concerns, evidence suggests that some individuals who threaten judges’ family members are aware of their home addresses. Reuters found that at least a dozen judges, after ruling against the Trump administration, had pizzas anonymously delivered to their homes, a tactic law enforcement views as a form of intimidation, signaling that the target's address is known.

Disturbing pizza deliveries

In recent weeks, pizza deliveries to judges have become more disturbing. At least 10 judges received anonymous deliveries ordered under the name “Daniel Anderl”, the son of Judge Salas, who was tragically killed in 2020 by a disgruntled lawyer posing as a delivery driver. This incident prompted fears among judges and their families.

One judge shared that after ruling against a Trump administration action, someone used their spouse’s name and email to order a pizza to their home. The spouse was alarmed by the breach of personal information. A week later, the same judge received a threatening email that read, "I hope some terrorist kills you and your family." The judge expressed concern that such threats could escalate, warning, “Somebody is going to get killed.”