In a pointed and passionate speech on Law Day, U.S. Supreme Court Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson delivered a strong defense of judicial independence while issuing a veiled but unmistakable rebuke of former President Donald Trump and his allies for their ongoing attacks on judges.
Speaking at the First Circuit Judicial Conference in Puerto Rico on May 1, Jackson never mentioned Trump by name—but made clear her concerns were rooted in the political climate created by him and his supporters. According to Politico and The New York Times, the remarks—prepared in advance—focused on what Jackson called the “relentless attacks” and “disparagement” judges across the country are facing.
“It seems as though every time I read the news or turn on the television these days, I see the affronts,” Jackson said in her 18-minute keynote, which was not recorded but attended by members of the judiciary and legal community.
The timing of her comments comes as Trump, during the early stretch of his second presidency, has ramped up criticism of judges who have ruled against his administration’s agenda. From his own social media tirades to supporters pushing for judicial impeachments, the pressure on the bench has reached new intensity. Earlier this year, articles of impeachment were filed against two federal judges, and Chief Judge James E. Boasberg was publicly targeted by Trump—followed by calls for his removal in Congress.
Chief Justice John Roberts responded at the time with a rare public statement, reminding the nation that impeachment is not a valid remedy for disagreeing with judicial decisions.
Justice Jackson went even further in her remarks, calling such intimidation a direct threat to democracy itself.
“The threats and harassment are attacks on our democracy, on our system of government,” she said. “They ultimately risk undermining our Constitution and the rule of law.”
She referenced past moments of crisis in American history—such as the Civil Rights Movement and Watergate—as periods when the judiciary faced immense pressure but held firm.
“A society in which judges are routinely made to fear for their own safety or their own livelihood due to their decisions is one that has substantially departed from the norms of behavior that govern a democratic system,” Jackson warned. “Attacks on judicial independence are how countries that are not free, not fair, and not rule of law-oriented operate.”
Her speech was met with a standing ovation.
Jackson also acknowledged the emotional toll the environment is taking on the judiciary, describing the isolation and stress that come with deciding politically charged cases in the national spotlight.
“It can sometimes take raw courage to remain steadfast in doing what the law requires,” she said, before ending on a hopeful note that, like in the past, the judiciary can once again endure and overcome.
The comments mark the second time a sitting Supreme Court justice has publicly pushed back against Trump-era judicial attacks, further intensifying the debate over the politicization of America’s courts in an increasingly polarized landscape.