A federal judge who ruled against the Trump administration has described a rapid escalation in threats and intimidation directed at him and other judges, including a pizza order made in the name of a colleague’s dead son.

U.S. District Judge John McConnell, the chief federal judge in Rhode Island, said he received a pizza delivery at his home bearing the name of Esther Salas’s son, who was killed in 2020 in a shooting by a disgruntled lawyer targeting Salas. McConnell contacted Salas to tell her, and both said they were shaken by the use of a family tragedy to send a message.

McConnell said such deliveries were made to federal judges in at least seven states, but he was the first to inform Salas. He later described the episode as part of a shift in the environment facing federal jurists who issue rulings affecting the executive branch.

Wider Backlash Against Federal Rulings

McConnell’s account reflects concerns raised by judges appointed by both Democrats and Republicans about rising pressure when they make high-profile decisions that find actions by the Trump administration unlawful.

He said President Donald Trump and allies have repeatedly criticised individual federal judges as illegitimate or politically motivated, including through rhetoric that frames court decisions as a challenge to government authority. McConnell described the impact as moving beyond normal political disagreement, saying that what is unusual is the “personalisation” of judges’ work and the dehumanising tone of threats.

McConnell, appointed by Barack Obama, has been on the bench for 15 years. For much of that time, he said he gave little thought to personal security. He recalled being told, early in his career, that he should inform U.S. marshals about his plans for an outdoor naturalisation ceremony, but said he had believed it was simply part of daily life.

Death Threats Follow Funding Ruling

That approach changed sharply in early 2025. McConnell said he began receiving credible death threats after a case assigned to him in late January, in which he challenged the administration’s freeze on trillions of dollars in federal funding. He issued a temporary restraining order and, ten days later, told the government it had to comply or face criminal contempt.

That night, McConnell said he saw a post on X by Laura Loomer accusing him of abusing judicial power in the funding freeze case. He said Elon Musk, then running the administration’s Department of Government Efficiency, amplified the post to a large audience. McConnell said the situation worsened once his daughter became a target, describing it as feeling emotionally devastating.

He said threatening calls and emails started arriving at the courthouse in increasing volumes, eventually totalling about 400. He added that U.S. marshals identified at least six credible death threats, including one aimed at his wife. He also said one threat appeared on the dark web, where someone sought McConnell’s home address and suggested using a firearm to “pay him a visit”.

McConnell said he would not detail changes to his daily routine, but described cooperation with the marshals as “exemplary”. He said he also faced further pressure beyond threats, including a MAGA-linked effort that doxed his daughter and later impeachment proceedings launched by two Republicans in Congress. He said an insurance company cancelled his homeowner’s policy, describing him as too risky due to the impeachment efforts.

DHS Criticism And Security Stats

McConnell said other judges have also been targeted. He pointed to DHS actions that, he said, have increased personal risk. He cited an April news release that referred to U.S. District Judge Melissa DuBose as an “activist Biden judge” after she released an immigrant from custody in the Dominican Republic, describing a “wanted for murder” warrant.

McConnell said a later investigative report by a special counsel found that the information about the homicide warrant had not been provided to DuBose at the time and that it had been withheld by the U.S. attorney on instructions from Immigration and Customs Enforcement not to disclose it. The court, he said, argued the sequence raised questions about whether ICE “deliberately manipulated” information, warning that false statements by government officials can have real-world consequences.

He also referenced a post by DHS general counsel James Percival on X listing federal judges, using language the agency employs to describe alleged criminals. McConnell said he contacted one judge named in the post to urge them to take security seriously.

The judiciary has also warned Congress about security levels. The judiciary told lawmakers that in the 2025 fiscal year, security incidents classed as “significant concern” rose by 57% and were expected to increase further. The U.S. Marshals Service reported 564 threats to federal judges in 2025, up from 509 the year before, with the highest number recorded in 2023. The Marshals Service has asked for additional funding for its judicial security division, saying the threat environment was expected to intensify.

Rulings Continue Despite Pressure

McConnell said the fear that has lingered for him is what the threats mean for the future of the courts. He described intimidation directed at judges as undermining the constitutional role of courts.

He said Chief Justice John G. Roberts Jr. has warned against criticising judges as individuals rather than focusing on rulings, and said impeachment was not the appropriate response to disagreement with a judicial decision. McConnell said he found those remarks reassuring.

McConnell’s own rulings have also drawn support. Last November, he issued a preliminary injunction blocking the administration from dismantling the Institute of Museum and Library Services. In June, he said the administration’s freeze on immigration-related applications affecting citizens of 39 countries was unlawful, writing that the agency violated both the immigration laws Congress had set and administrative rules governing its actions. He said that same month a Republican lawmaker again sought his impeachment for placing the interests of non-citizens above national security. McConnell said he declined to pursue an offer of assistance from the administrative office of the judiciary and instead wanted to return to his work.

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6 August 2026

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Once again Trump supporters don't have any mirrors to gaze 'pon. 🤭

Edited August 5Aug 5 by shdmn

Yet another reminder that the US judiciary is being dragged into the political mud.

Judge McConnell’s account shows how criticism of rulings has morphed into personalised harassment. That’s not “robust debate”, it’s intimidation.

When Trump and his cronies publicly claim judges are illegitimate, it opens the floodgates for abuse from their supporters.

The judiciary relies on independence, not popularity. If that independence is eroded by threats and political interference, the system itself is weakened.

"Heaven is above all yet; there sits a judge that no king can corrupt"!

William Shakespeare

Note to judge: Stay away from all trailer parks in the near future!

2 hours ago, Jim Waldron said:

Yet another reminder that the US judiciary is being dragged into the political mud.

Judge McConnell’s account shows how criticism of rulings has morphed into personalised harassment. That’s not “robust debate”, it’s intimidation.

When Trump and his cronies publicly claim judges are illegitimate, it opens the floodgates for abuse from their supporters.

The judiciary relies on independence, not popularity. If that independence is eroded by threats and political interference, the system itself is weakened.

"Heaven is above all yet; there sits a judge that no king can corrupt"!

William Shakespeare

totally agree, if Trump himself could avoid slamming anyone that disagrees with him then the sick MAGA crowd would cease many of their threats too IMHO.

3 hours ago, SiSePuede419 said:

Once again Trump supporters don't have any mirrors to gaze 'pon. 🤭

Fake news, the chap in the cartoon has far too many teeth!

2 hours ago, Jim Waldron said:

the US judiciary is being dragged into the political mud.

The US judiciary is making bricks out of political mud and rebuilding Rule of Laws.

4 hours ago, webfact said:

A federal judge who ruled against the Trump administration has described a rapid escalation in threats and intimidation directed at him and other judges, including a pizza order made in the name of a colleague’s dead son.

All signs of a soon lost country vanishing in the mud of injustice, fascism, dictatorship, incompetence, dumbness, hate, hatred, disrespect and a lot more. Add as you please

Anybody here still think the US isn't fcuked?

2 minutes ago, unblocktheplanet said:

Anybody here still think the US isn't fcuked?

Sadly I think it probably is.

If, as expected. November's elections will go against him, expect Trump to overturn them. Detentions ( protective custody?) probably beckons for those members the "co-equal branches of government", the judiciary and congress who speak out. If he gets away with it then it will be game over. There is no point in quoting the Constitution, he and his cabal simply don't care about the constitution. Remember, he mused about suspending the Constitution, it was put down to "Trump just trolling". I don't think he was.

Edited August 6Aug 6 by JAG

Time for a second American revolution, resulting in a constitution relevant to the 21st century, and not the 18th. Including; Judges being picked according to ability, and not political affiliation. Firearm laws based on modern weaponry, not muskets and flintlocks. Making everyone's vote equal, rather than the one million votes in one city being equal to ten thousand in another we have today. And criminals barred from running for any public office, let alone for president.

Trump has been doing his absolute best to use New York mafia street tactics to scare and intimidate people that he considers to be either his opponents, people who do not follow him with absolute fealty, and those who rule against him. He truly thinks he's a medieval king, and that he can get away with this kind of nonsense, and for the most part his devoted supporters not only allow that, they seem to applaud it, and the sad and emasculated Republican Party has lost all willingness to challenge him.

This is the kind of judge that dismisses attempted assassination charges of Trump.

Trump sets such a fine example, doesn’t he? Throws a hissy fit every time he doesn’t get his way and then threatens all and sundry with hell and damnation.

Not only that: he lies all the time. Case in point, the reflecting pool. He would rather send an innocent man to jail than admit that he was wrong. Trump is, and always has been, a pathetic excuse for a man. And MAGA call him a strong leader. What a joke.

2 hours ago, ballpoint said:

Time for a second American revolution, resulting in a constitution relevant to the 21st century, and not the 18th. Including; Judges being picked according to ability, and not political affiliation. Firearm laws based on modern weaponry, not muskets and flintlocks. Making everyone's vote equal, rather than the one million votes in one city being equal to ten thousand in another we have today. And criminals barred from running for any public office, let alone for president.

I'm not an American. I am not totally uncritical of my own country's (the UK) system, nor of some of the characters who rise to power. Much could be done better, but dear oh me, the corruption, gerrymandering, twisting of and complete ignoring of the US Constitutional settlement over the last decade really supports your argument.

,

Like mentioned above, it's 1:1 mafia (Cosa Nostra) tactics.

In the 80's and 90's four judges (Giovanni Falcone is remembered the most) were killed by the mafia. They exerted massive psychological and physical pressure before carrying out the attacks.

If the same would happen to judges who ruled in Trumps favor hell would break loose. But it's clear that Trump doesen't have a problem with Mafia methods against judges who arent doing what he wants.

All of this horror, the endangerment of both judges and their families, including their children, for heaven's sake, needs to be laid right at the foot of Trump. He, and he alone has set the tone with his constant enflaming rhetoric against anyone who stands up to him, including, in this case, judges simply doing their duty. Absolutely disgusting that this despicable creature occupies the American presidency.

10 hours ago, webfact said:

a rapid escalation in threats and intimidation directed at him and other judges, including a pizza order made in the name of a colleague’s dead son.

That's weird.

Lefties under the Biden regime have a patent on that.

I guess what goes around comes around ?

9 minutes ago, FlorC said:

That's weird.

Lefties under the Biden regime have a patent on that.

I guess what goes around comes around ?

You're mistaken. I guess you meant communists, as they live under regimes. The lefties are all woke anyway, so it seems quite unrealistic that they would want live under a regime. A "Biden regime" is therefore not correct.

But who knows, maybe soon the US under the current administration will be officially recognized as an authoritarian regime. Your wish has already started to become true.

What the fork is happening in US...

No one dares to fight Trump..

2 hours ago, newnative said:

All of this horror, the endangerment of both judges and their families, including their children, for heaven's sake, needs to be laid right at the foot of Trump. He, and he alone has set the tone with his constant enflaming rhetoric against anyone who stands up to him, including, in this case, judges simply doing their duty. Absolutely disgusting that this despicable creature occupies the American presidency.

I totally agree, this piece of garbage should not be in the Whitehouse ,he and many of his clan should be in prison. Roll on the midterm elections, which of course Trump will contest vehemently.

1 hour ago, cheshiremusicman said:

...which of course Trump will contest vehemently.

That is not really a problem, as this behaviour from the 47th is meanwhile a (golden) standard.

The real problem is, that "HIS" DoJ could very well decide in his favour. Would that be a surprise?! Rather not.

So in that case, maybe I should correct myself "...that "HIS" DoJ will decide in his favour".

dont recall you guys spittlespewing when some dude got busted outside of kavanughs home with a gun.

dude got a break from a biden judge and is now using the government to get his hormones. just another violent tranny

3 minutes ago, Yagoda said:

dont recall you guys spittlespewing when some dude got busted outside of kavanughs home with a gun.

dude got a break from a biden judge and is now using the government to get his hormones.Just another violent tranny

The left secretly hoped the perpetrator would take out Brett Kavanaugh, which is why they didn't say much.

10 hours ago, unblocktheplanet said:

Anybody here still think the US isn't fcuked?

Yes, I know but ... with some resurgence within the Democrat Party I will continue to hope in the midterms. if the democrat establishment holds off addressing the justified frustration/anger underlying the current rending of the social fabric ... the madness continues.

44 minutes ago, Mr Awesome said:

The left secretly hoped the perpetrator would take out Brett Kavanaugh, which is why they didn't say much.

exactly. violence is their philosophy

1 hour ago, Yagoda said:

exactly. violence is their philosophy

So Brett who? Never heard of him.

13 hours ago, newbee2022 said:

All signs of a soon lost country vanishing in the mud of injustice, fascism, dictatorship, incompetence, dumbness, hate, hatred, disrespect and a lot more. Add as you please

Nahhh.....2028 is just around the corner and the backlash the GOP will see because of these Trump presidencies will see them on the sidelines for eight years.

The true face of MAGA fans. At a local fundraiser in Las Vegas Governor Joe Lombardo asked the Audiance for a moment of silence for a serving police officer Austin Abdelnabi killed in the line of duty in vagas on 4th August, he was also an Ex Marine Corp's service Vet instead of standing in silence they bood him because of his forighn sounding name and the governor had to remingd them they do not boo servicemen or Police officers killed serving there country. Disgusting from Trump supporters and the true face of them.