President Donald Trump has launched a fresh attack on judges overseeing cases against his administration, just days after Supreme Court Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson warned of such an onslaught “undermining the rule of law.”
Why It Matters
Since beginning his second term, Trump has frequently clashed with judges who have ruled against his sweeping government overhauls.
These actions have raised concerns about the erosion of judicial independence and the potential undermining of democratic norms.
What To Know
On May, 3, President Donald Trump lashed out at judges on Truth Social, saying they are blocking the deportation of violent criminals and warning that America is “finished” if such decisions continue.
His comments came after Supreme Court Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson, speaking at a judicial conference on May 1, warned of “relentless attacks” on judges, and an environment of harassment that “ultimately risks undermining our Constitution and the rule of law.”
Jackson said the attacks appear aimed at undermining judicial independence—something she described as essential to a functioning democracy. “A society in which judges are routinely made to fear for their own safety or livelihood… is one that has substantially departed from the norms” of a democratic system, she said.
Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson did not name Trump or reference specific incidents, but her remarks came amid a wave of attacks by Trump and his allies against judges who have ruled against his policies.
Trump and his allies have even called for the impeachment of judges who opposed him, the President demanding the removal of Judge James Boasberg after he issued a restraining order halting deportations under the Alien Enemies Act. This prompted a rare public rebuke from Chief Justice John G. Roberts Jr. in March, who called such rhetoric “not an appropriate response to disagreement concerning a judicial decision.”
Against this background of hostility, threats of physical violence against members of the judiciary have been steadily increasing.
More than 60 federal judges who ruled against Trump’s policies have been subjected to online abuse, doxxing, and physical threats, a Reuters investigation revealed. Some judges and their families have also received threatening messages and even bomb threats, prompting increased security measures.
The Trump administration has also moved to penalize law firms that have participated in litigation against the president. Some firms have faced financial and professional sanctions, while others have reportedly been sidelined from government work.
At the same time, the administration has brokered agreements with select firms to provide pro bono legal services in support of government cases—raising concerns about favoritism and coercion within the legal profession.
Another major point of contention is the administration’s disregard for due process in immigration enforcement. Over 260 individuals have reportedly been arrested and deported to El Salvador without the opportunity to appear before a judge. Legal experts warn that such actions violate foundational principles of the U.S. legal system, where due process is a guaranteed right.
In a Truth Social post, Trump defended the policy, writing that he should not be required to go through a “lengthy legal process, separately, for each and every Criminal Alien.” Legal scholars note, however, that under U.S. law, a person cannot be classified as a criminal without first undergoing a judicial process—a safeguard designed to prevent government overreach.
And in the latest standoff, Trump is refusing to comply with a Supreme Court order to assist in the return of Kilmar Armando Abrego Garcia, a Maryland man wrongly deported to El Salvador. In an interview, Trump admitted he could bring Abrego Garcia back but declined to do so, asserting—without evidence—that he believes the man is a gang member. His refusal directly contradicts both the Supreme Court order and previous claims from his administration that the U.S. lacked the authority to intervene.
Meanwhile, on April 25, the FBI arrested sitting Judge Hannah Dugan, alleging that she interfered with a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement operation by obstructing the execution of a warrant. Critics of former President Trump have denounced the arrest as part of a broader campaign to intimidate the judiciary and erode judicial independence through threats of prosecution.
What People Are Saying
Donald Trump said on Truth Social: “Can it be so that Judges aren’t allowing the USA to Deport Criminals, including Murderers, out of our Country and back to where they came from? If this is so, our Country, as we know it, is finished! Americans will have to get used to a very different, crime filled, LIFE. This is not what our Founders had in mind!!!”
Justice Jackson, speaking at a conference for judges held in Puerto Rico: “ Across the nation, judges are facing increased threats of not only physical violence, but also professional retaliation just for doing our jobs. And the attacks are not random. They seem designed to intimidate those of us who serve in this critical capacity.”
She added: “ A society in which judges are routinely made to fear for their own safety or their own livelihood due to their decisions is one that has substantially departed from the norms of behavior that govern a democratic system. Attacks on judicial independence is how countries that are not free, not fair, and not rule of law oriented, operate.
“Having an independent judiciary — defined as judges who are indifferent to improper pressure and determine and decide each case according to the rule of law — is one of the key ingredients” that makes a free and fair society work, she said.
What Happens Next
Legal battles over Trump’s use of executive power are ongoing.
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