Federal judges describe violent threats amid 'dehumanizing attacks' from political leaders

William Brangham:

Hundreds of federal judges across the country have received threats against themselves and their families this year. The U.S. Marshals Service reports security incidents of -- quote -- "significant concern" jumped nearly 60 percent in the 2025 fiscal year and are on track to rise again this year.

This comes amid a litany of verbal and written attacks by President Trump and members of his administration about judges who have ruled against them.

Justice correspondent Ali Rogin has more.

Ali Rogin:

U.S. District Court Judge John McConnell received an unexpected pizza delivery to his home last year. While it was certainly strange, McConnell says he was deeply disturbed when he noticed the name on the order, Daniel Anderl. That's the name of U.S. District Court Judge Esther Salas' son, who was fatally shot at their family's home in 2020 by a disgruntled lawyer.

Several other judges also received pizza deliveries under Anderl's name. McConnell says that was just one of multiple death threats he's received. They began escalating in 2025 when he temporarily blocked the Trump administration freeze on billions of dollars in federal funding.

To discuss, Judge McConnell joins me now, along with Judge Esther Salas.

Thank you both so much for being here.

Judge McConnell, I'd like to start with you. What was going through your mind when you saw the name on this unsolicited pizza delivery?

Chief Judge John McConnell, U.S. District Court for the District of Rhode Island: U.S. District Court for the District of Rhode Island: Well, heartbreak originally that some people for political reasons would invoke the name of Judge Salas' beloved son who was murdered when a person was actually attempting to murder her and then ultimately wanting to do the same to Justice Sotomayor.

So it was heartbreak turned to outrage turned to disappointment that we had gotten to that stage in our discourse in the country.

Ali Rogin:

And, Judge Salas, what was going through your mind when you heard that someone had received a pizza delivery under your late son's name, and also to find out there that there have been other cases like this.

Judge Esther Salas, U.S. District Court of New Jersey: Yes, just sadness, but anger too, because Daniel stands for light and love, and he gave his life as an act of love for his dad, Mark, my husband, and me.

And for people to be using and weaponizing his name to inflict fear on judges all throughout this country just tells me where we're at in terms of trying to intimidate the judiciary and trying to really strip the judiciary of its constitutional independence.

Ali Rogin:

The president and members of his administration have launched verbal attacks against judges in the past. Recently, the general counsel to DHS, James Percival, wrote a list of federal judges on X whom he called the worst of the worst. We're not going to show that here.

You were on our show last year talking about this and the harmful inflammatory rhetoric that these administration officials are using. Have things changed, in your opinion? And, if so, have they gotten better or worse?

Judge Esther Salas:

I mean, they have gotten a whole heck of a lot more dangerous for judges.

I think we are devolving as a nation with the leadership that chooses to continue to dehumanize judges. I mean, for general counsel of DHS, who enjoys a certain level of respect for the position, for DHS to be using government Web sites and using official handles to spread disinformation, it's just a sad state.

And I think we need to pump the brakes here, and we need to start coming back to a place where we can agree to disagree. And we can maybe disagree on the merits, but we have to stop personalizing and villain -- villainizing, rather, judges.

Ali Rogin:

Judge McConnell, this pizza delivery was not the first threat you have received. Your office has been flooded with calls and e-mails leaving threatening messages. They really picked up after your ruling to block that freeze on federal funding last year.

We want to play a part of one of those voice-mails.

Caller:

So you better tell little (expletive deleted) Judge McConnell I don't know who the hell he thinks he is. I double dare you to try to put charges on Donald J. Trump, you (expletive deleted). And I wish somebody would (expletive deleted) assassinate your (expletive deleted).

Ali Rogin:

It's deeply disturbing to hear.

Do you think attempts to intimidate you like this are a result of the rhetoric coming from the Trump administration?

Chief Judge John McConnell:

There's no doubt in my mind that the fact that certain of our leaders in this country have chosen dog whistles, there is no other way to describe it, when they talk about judges.

Our own new attorney general said that we were at war with the courts. We have been called traitors. We have been called all sorts of names and that serve as dog whistles to the population that says that judges are fair game for going after, for attacking.

We know that, when these personal attacks on judges are said by our governmental leaders that the threats against judges go up. I can attest to that specifically. They started. And they doxxed my daughter. My wife got threatened. The comments made that dehumanized myself and others -- I'm not the only judge. Judges across this country have been subjected to what I have been subjected to.

Ali Rogin:

And, Judge McConnell, have you had to change the way you do anything within the confines of your work or your life more generally?

Chief Judge John McConnell:

The answer is yes. I'm certainly not going to go into it, for security reasons, et al, but the work is the work.

And, as Judge Salas and I both, as do the hundreds of District Court Courts of Appeals judges throughout the country, our North Star is the rule of law. We follow that regardless, but it sure does make it a lot harder to safely live in this world and do our jobs when we're continually under dehumanizing attack from government leaders and the executive from the top on down.

Ali Rogin:

And right at the top, Judge Salas, we have seen Supreme Court Justices Barrett and Kagan testify about the need for increased security budgets. Justice Barrett memorably recounted how her son saw her put on a bulletproof vest.

So what do you think can and should be done with larger security budgets to protect judges? And, also, what do you think the balance is between the need for more security measures, but also the need to tone down the rhetoric?

Judge Esther Salas:

You know, I first of all, think that the worst of the worst series that was launched by the general counsel of the DHS came just weeks after these two justices historically testified to Congress about the threats to the Supreme Court.

It doesn't seem to matter, I mean, whether it's a judge that's appointed by a Republican president or a justice that's appointed by or nominated by a Democrat president. We're seeing that this type of rhetoric just gives people license to take matters into their own hands.

The person who killed my Danny, the person who came to my home and murdered my only child felt emboldened, if you will, to take matters into his own hands. And so what needs to happen is, our leaders need to lead by example, and we need to all start toning down the rhetoric.

If you want to criticize us on the merits, by all means, appeal us and criticize us on the merits. But that's not what DHS is doing. It's irresponsible. It is not true leadership. And I would ask our leaders, let's start leading in a responsible way.

Ali Rogin:

Judge John McConnell, Judge Esther Salas, thank you both so much for joining us and sharing your...

Chief Judge John McConnell:

Thanks so much, Ali.

Judge Esther Salas:

Thank you so much, Ali.