Federal Judge Says He Faced Death Threats After Blocking Trump Administration Policy
U.S. Marshals identified at least six credible death threats as intimidation spread after his rulings against the Trump administration.
- District Judge John McConnell faces at least six credible death threats following rulings against President Donald Trump, prompting the Marshals Service to request additional funding amid intensifying security concerns.
- Targeted intimidation began after McConnell blocked a Trump administration freeze on federal funding in early 2025, as Trump called judges "monsters" and "lunatics," while DHS general counsel James Percival labeled officials the "Worst of the Worst."
- An unordered pizza addressed to Daniel Anderl—son of Judge Esther Salas, killed in 2020—was delivered to McConnell's Rhode Island home. McConnell said, "I don't think anything disturbed me as much as that did."
- Far-Right activist Laura Loomer and Elon Musk targeted McConnell's daughter on social media, while a GOP impeachment effort advanced and his homeowner's insurance was cancelled for being "too risky."
- Security incidents of "significant concern" at federal courts jumped 57 percent in fiscal year 2025, with 564 threats to federal judges, showing McConnell's targeting reflects systemic hostility toward the judiciary.
18 Articles
18 Articles
‘It has to stop’: Federal judge who received death threats after ruling against Trump speaks out
U.S. Marshals have identified multiple credible death threats against U.S. District Judge John McConnell since he ruled against President Trump. One threat was an odd pizza delivery to his house that came under the name of Judge Esther Salas’s son, who was killed in a shooting attack at their home in 2020. Judge McConnell and Judge Salas join OutFront to speak out about these threats.
Judge breaks silence on death threats and doxxing amid White House attacks
President Donald Trump has repeatedly attacked judges who rule against him by accusing them of being traitors and threats to America. Perhaps as he anticipated, his supporters have taken his rhetoric as a call to intimidate those same judges, from falsely reporting that a judge killed his wife and threatening judges with violence to vowing to commit sexual assault against them and harassing their family members.Now one of those judges is speakin…
Judge Says 'MAGA' Death Threats Targeted Him and His Family After Blocking Trump Policy
A federal judge who blocked Donald Trump's attempt to freeze federal funding has described a campaign of threats that reached beyond his courtroom and targeted his family. US District Judge John McConnell, chief judge of the District of Rhode Island, said that the intimidation began after he challenged the administration's spending policy in 2025. This included death threats, hostile messages and attacks aimed at relatives. McConnell, an Obama a…
Threats Against Federal Judges Are Rising Under Trump — This Judge Says His Family Became A Target
A federal judge said he and his family have been subjected to hundreds of threatening messages and multiple credible death threats after he issued several rulings against the Trump administration. U.S. District Judge John McConnell, Rhode Island’s chief federal judge, said the threats began escalating in early 2025 after he temporarily blocked the Trump administration’s freeze on trillions of dollars in federal funding. “We’re just doing our job…
US District Judge Allison Burroughs criticizes Trump policy; congressman calls for impeachment - The Boston Globe
The administration has had public exchanges with federal judges before; one official created social media posts listing, “This week in Worst of the Worst, District Judges.”
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