Judges who ruled against Trump say harassment and threats have changed their lives
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In his almost 45 years as a federal judge, John Coughenour has seen it all, including high-profile criminal trials that put his own safety at risk. Limited time: Save 25% on NBC News subscription Get exclusive reporting, live Q&As and ad-free reading. But this year, the 84-year-old senior district judge did something he hadn’t considered for a long time: He retrieved a gun he had stored at the federal courthouse in Seattle years ago and brought it back to his home in case he needed it to defend himself.
AI Summary
Main Idea: Federal judges who ruled against President Donald Trump say threats, harassment and intimidation have changed how they live and work, with some taking extra steps to protect themselves and their families.
Key Points:
- Judge John Coughenour said he brought a gun home after receiving threats and being swatted soon after blocking Trump’s birthright citizenship order.
- Other judges described forced changes to daily life, including moving homes, upgrading security, changing travel routes and limiting family members’ online posts.
- Judges said one growing tactic is unwanted pizza deliveries, which they view as intimidation and which the U.S. Marshals Service says may involve foreign actors.
- The U.S. Marshals Service is facing a rising number of threats against judges, while some judges worry the abuse could discourage people from becoming judges.
Impact on the People
Negative Impact
Threats and harassment against judges can raise court costs, weaken trust in the courts, and make judges more cautious when ruling on cases that affect workers, consumers, and voters.
Positive Impact
Better security for judges and court staff may help keep the justice system working, though the threat level remains uncertain.
How did each entity affect people?
Rate how each entity in this article affected the American people.
- Primary:Judge John Coughenourperson
- Primary:President Donald Trumpperson
Candidate Entities12 candidates · 5 weighted vote min · 70% decision
- Judge John CoughenourpersonPrimaryEvaluated
Primary subject of the article; his ruling against the administration and the threats he faced drive the story.
Include 0 (0%)Ignore 0 (0%)5 to threshold - President Donald TrumppersonPrimaryEvaluated
Central figure whose administration’s rhetoric and policies are tied to the harassment and threats discussed in the article.
Include 0 (0%)Ignore 0 (0%)5 to threshold - Attorney General Pam BondipersonMajorAI selected
Named administration official quoted criticizing judges; her remarks are part of the article’s central dynamic.
Include 0 (0%)Ignore 0 (0%)5 to threshold - Deputy chief of staff Stephen MillerpersonMajorAI selected
Named Trump administration official cited for sharp anti-judge rhetoric that the article links to threats.
Include 0 (0%)Ignore 0 (0%)5 to threshold - Judge Esther SalaspersonMajorAI selected
Named judge describing security fallout and intimidation, used as a substantive example in the article.
Include 0 (0%)Ignore 0 (0%)5 to threshold - Judge Stephen BoughpersonMajorAI selected
Major example of a judge targeted after ruling against the Trump administration, with concrete impacts on his security.
Include 0 (0%)Ignore 0 (0%)5 to threshold - Supreme Court of the United Statesgovernment agency or bodyMajorAI selected
Central judicial body because the birthright-citizenship issue is described as pending before it.
Include 0 (0%)Ignore 0 (0%)5 to threshold
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