U.S. Supreme Court Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson has voiced alarm over political attacks on the judiciary, warning that recent rhetoric from President Donald Trump and his Republican allies appears strategic rather than spontaneous.
Speaking at a judicial conference in Puerto Rico on Thursday, Jackson said the sharp criticisms targeting judges “are not random,” and instead, “seem designed to intimidate those of us who serve in this critical capacity.”
Her comments come amid rising tensions between the judiciary and Trump, who has repeatedly lambasted federal judges over rulings that hinder his agenda. In March, U.S. Chief Justice John Roberts publicly pushed back after Trump called for the impeachment of a federal judge.
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Federal judges have raised concerns about the Trump administration’s disregard for court orders on matters such as foreign aid, staffing decisions, and budget spending. While the administration has denied willfully defying the courts, it has not shied away from criticizing judges and rulings that go against its policies.
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“The threats and harassment are attacks on our democracy, on our system of government. And they ultimately risk undermining our Constitution and the rule of law,” Jackson warned during her remarks.
Although she refrained from naming Trump directly, Jackson alluded to him with a pointed reference to “the elephant in the room.”
Her speech, reported by Politico and The New York Times, was met with a standing ovation, according to Politico.
Legal scholars have increasingly expressed concern that the growing hostility between the former president and the courts could escalate into a constitutional crisis.
The U.S. Supreme Court currently holds a 6-3 conservative majority.
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