Similar Deliveries Were Later Reported by Federal Judges in at Least Seven States

Chief US District Judge John McConnell of Rhode Island said he faced credible death threats, harassment and intimidation after blocking parts of the Trump administration's sweeping freeze on trillions of dollars in federal funding early last year. In an interview with The Washington Post, McConnell detailed a campaign that included death threats, the doxxing of his daughter by a MAGA activist, two impeachment attempts by Republican lawmakers and the cancellation of his homeowner's insurance. One disturbing incident involved an unsolicited pizza delivery placed in the name of Daniel Anderl, the son of New Jersey federal Judge Esther Salas, who was killed in a 2020 attack targeting his mother.

Similar deliveries were later reported by federal judges in at least seven states. McConnell said his courthouse received around 400 threatening calls and emails after far-right activist Laura Loomer posted criticism of him, including a photograph of his daughter, a post later amplified by Elon Musk. The US Marshals Service deemed at least six threats credible, including one against his wife and another seeking his home address on the dark web.

McConnell said all three federal judges in Rhode Island have received threats linked to rulings involving the executive branch over the past 18 months. Judge Salas said criticism of judges has intensified over the past decade but argued the current environment under the Trump administration is markedly different, pointing to officials referring to judges as "monsters, "lunatics" and accusing them of a "legal insurrection. The White House defended Trump's criticism as protected free speech, with spokeswoman Abigail Jackson saying the administration "cares deeply for the safety of all members of the Judicial Branch.

McConnell also criticized the Department of Homeland Security for publicly describing fellow Rhode Island Judge Melissa DuBose as an "activist Biden judge" in a case where a special counsel report found prosecutors withheld key information. DHS General Counsel James Percival published a list of judges he labeled the "Worst of the Worst, language McConnell said contributed to growing security concerns. Security incidents involving federal judges rose 57% in fiscal year 2025, with the Marshals Service recording 564 threats against federal judges, up from 509 the previous year. Despite the threats, McConnell said he remains committed to his judicial duties and was encouraged by Chief Justice John Roberts' statements that judges should not be personally attacked or impeached over disagreements with their rulings.