A wave of intimidation tactics-including death threats and targeted harassment-has engulfed the families of at least 11 U.S. judges who ruled against Trump’s administration, highlighting an escalating assault on judicial independence.

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In a chilling escalation of political intimidation, families of at least 11 federal judges who have ruled against the Trump administration now face a barrage of harassment and death threats. These coordinated campaigns,ranging from menacing social media posts to the delivery of pizza boxes adorned with the faces of murdered individuals,signal a systematic effort to undermine the judiciary’s independence and silence dissenting voices within the legal system.

The latest wave of threats began in earnest after federal judge James Boasberg blocked mass deportations ordered by the Trump administration in April. Almost immediately, right-wing social media erupted with calls to “lock up” Boasberg’s daughter and deport his entire family, echoing a pattern seen against other judges who have challenged Trump’s policies. Investigations have documented over 600 posts targeting the relatives of judges, with threats escalating from online abuse to physical intimidation, such as anonymous pizza deliveries referencing slain judicial family members-a tactic explicitly designed to convey, “We know where you live”.

Trump’s Rhetoric Fuels Real-World Threats

Donald Trump’s own statements have played a central role in stoking these attacks. The former president has repeatedly labeled judges who oppose his administration as “radical left lunatics” and “communists,” publicly calling for their impeachment and questioning their legitimacy. These verbal assaults have emboldened his supporters, leading to a surge in credible threats and harassment, not only online but also through direct actions like swatting,where false emergency calls are made to provoke armed police responses at judges’ homes.

The consequences of these intimidation tactics are profound. Legal experts and human rights organizations warn that such campaigns represent an existential threat to the rule of law. The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) has condemned the use of state power and public rhetoric to target judges, emphasizing that the safety of judicial officers and their families is fundamental to a functioning democracy. The U.S. Marshals Service, responsible for protecting judges, has reported an unprecedented rise in threats, while requests for increased security funding remain unanswered by the administration.

This is not an isolated phenomenon. Trump’s history of attacking judges who rule against him is well-documented, with repeated efforts to delegitimize the judiciary and frame legal accountability as partisan persecution. High-profile cases-such as the harassment of Judge Esther Salas, whose son was murdered in 2020, and the recent arrest of State Judge Hannah Dugan under dubious circumstances-underscore the lengths to which Trump and his allies are willing to go to intimidate those who stand in their way.

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Democracy at a Crossroads

As the judiciary faces mounting pressure, civil society voices warn that continued attacks on judges and their families risk eroding public trust in the legal system and emboldening further violence. Supreme Court Chief Justice John Roberts and Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson have both publicly condemned these assaults, emphasizing that judicial independence is non-negotiable in a democracy. Yet, with Trump’s rhetoric intensifying and his supporters mobilizing, the stakes for the rule of law in the United States have rarely been higher.

The ongoing harassment of judges and their families is not merely a series of isolated incidents-it is a coordinated campaign that threatens the very foundation of judicial independence and democratic governance in the United States.

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