White House says it's "deeply unserious" to suggest Trump comments on judges may lead to threats. Here's what judges say [View all]

Source: CBS News

March 1, 2026 / 7:00 PM EST / CBS News


Federal District Judge John Coughenour was unprepared for what happened after he temporarily blocked President Trump's birthright citizenship executive order last year and called it "blatantly unconstitutional." He said he faced "dozens if not hundreds" of death threats.

"I've been at this for 44 years. I have never encountered the hostility toward the judiciary that has existed in this country in the last year," Coughenour said. "And I don't think it's because we're making bad decisions. I think it's because there are people who think they can make a lot of political hay out of criticizing the federal judiciary."

President Trump has frequently called judges lunatics, crooked, or Trump-hating. Often a wave of threats against those judges follows. Last year, 400 federal judges were the targets of serious threats – a 78% jump compared to four years ago, according to the U.S. Marshals.

The White House said in a statement to CBS News it was "deeply unserious" to suggest the administration's comments about judges could lead to threats, noting that as a "survivor of two assassination attempts, no one understands the dangers of political violence more than President Trump." The White House also accused the judiciary of "brazen defiance" with its "unlawful rulings" that had "repeatedly obstructed the election choices of the American people." But judges are concerned about the harsh political rhetoric and what it could mean for their safety, and the independence of the judiciary.

Read more: https://www.cbsnews.com/news/threats-federal-judges-trump-60-minutes/