Judicial System Faces Threats, Justice Jackson Warns
United States: Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson of the Supreme Court spoke on Thursday about rising political hostility toward judicial officials with particular focus on former President Donald Trump and his followers. During a Puerto Rico judges’ conference Jackson declared that these attacks follow no pattern since they serve to scare judicial personnel, as reported by Reuters.
Jackson emphatically stated that these intimidatory attacks target judicial workers responsible for essential responsibilities.
Rising Tensions Between Executive and Judicial Branches
The fight between the judiciary and the Trump administration reached new heights after Chief Justice John Roberts directly rebuked Trump in March about his attempt to remove a federal judge. President Trump maintains his insistence on executive powers while constituting a rising dispute between the executive and judicial branches of government.
Federal judges have ruled that Trump’s administration is noncompliant with court orders, including those concerning international aid and federal personnel dismissals. The administration denies defying court orders but has criticized the legal restrictions on its actions.
U.S. Supreme Court Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson said on Thursday attacks by President Donald Trump and his allies on judges were “not random” and seemed “designed to intimidate the judiciary.” https://t.co/iuPeZDeIZc
— NBC News (@NBCNews) May 2, 2025
Attacks on Democracy and Rule of Law
Justice Jackson warned that these attacks on the judiciary jeopardize the Constitution and the rule of law, describing them as threats to American democracy.
“The threats and harassment are attacks on our democracy… and risk undermining our Constitution,” Jackson stated.
Her remarks came during a congressional testimony where she referred to “the elephant in the room” — widely seen as a subtle reference to Trump’s actions against the judiciary, though she did not name him directly.
Legal Experts Fear Constitutional Crisis
Legal professionals warn that attacks on the judiciary might develop into a constitutional crisis because the Supreme Court has a 6-3 conservative majority. The increasing political pressure demonstrates an ongoing power struggle between institutions of government.
Public backing for her stance emerged as demonstrated by the audience standing while Politico and The New York Times reported on Jackson’s speech.
