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Former U.S. Supreme Court Justice Anthony Kennedy warned Thursday that the political discourse and the tone of threats to judges are undermining the U.S. ability to serve as a role model for freedom and democracy around the world.
Kennedy, the Reagan-appointed man who retired in 2018 during President Donald Trump’s first term, posted on virtual forums about threats Rule of lawWhen he defends the role of judges in democratic countries and advocates the need to protect them and their families from threats.
Kennedy in the current “The day before the present, many people in the rest of the world want to see what democracy is in the United States to understand what democracy should be.” Supreme Court The judge will make the final ruling for the current semester.
He continued: “If they see a hostile, fragile discourse, if they see a discourse using identity politics instead of talking about problems, democracy is at risk. Freedom is dangerous.”
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Former U.S. Supreme Court Justice Anthony Kennedy warned that “the tone of our political discourse” and the threat to judges are undermining the U.S. ability to serve as a role model for freedom around the world. (Getty Image)
Kennedy did not mention Trump, although other participants expressed concern about the threat and attacks on the judges, as he blocked key parts of the president’s political agenda during his second term, including his immigration policy, the firing of federal workers and his widespread tariffs.
But Kennedy’s remarks seem to have caused at least some degree Trump administration Repeatedly targeted the judges who ruled him, including some of the people he appointed during his first term.
In March, Trump criticized U.S. District Court Judge James Boasberg as a “radical left madman” and called for impeachment for trying to prevent the administration from dismissing suspected Venezuelan gang members under the Foreign Enemy Act, the wartime president Trump.
Last month, Trump attacked the judge who “a hateful America” as a “monster who wants our country to go to hell.”
According to Politico, Trump’s remarks are related to threats to judges, although a government spokesman said the president opposed any threats and they would face a Justice Department prosecution.

Reagan-appointed Kennedy defends the role of judges in democracy and advocates protecting them and their families from threats. (Getty Image)
“Judges must provide protection for themselves and their families,” Kennedy said, “When the public and our country realize the core level of their words to ours, judges are best protected.”
“As I have already pointed out, we should worry about the tone of our political discourse in this country,” he said. “Use identity politics so that a person is characterized by his or her partisan affiliation. It’s not the meaning of democratic and civil discourse.”
Other participants on the forum introduced judges from the United States and other countries who warned about how the court attacks threatened democratic countries and also aimed at condemning the court’s Trump statement.
U.S. District Court Judge Esther Salas, whose son was killed in 2020 by a disgruntled lawyer who went to her New Jersey home in 2020, said false information about the judge was “top-down” and jurists were being attacked as “rogue” and “corruption.”

Kennedy’s remarks seem to be caused at least in part by the Trump administration’s repeated attacks on judges who ruled against him. (Getty Image)
“Judges are hooligans. Does it sound familiar? Judges are corrupt. Does it sound familiar? Judges are monsters. … Judges hate America.” “We see the spread of false information from top to bottom.”
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Salas warned that the number of threats against judges has reached the historical heights of the United States this year, noting that the U.S. Marshal Service has tracked more than 400 threats to judges since Trump was launched in January.
“We’re going to break the record, people, not very good,” she said.
Reuters contributed to the report.

Senior News Analyst & National Affairs Writer
Prabhat Sharma is a veteran journalist with over 12 years of experience covering national news, current affairs, and breaking stories across India. Known for his analytical approach and in-depth reporting, Prabhat brings clarity to complex topics and delivers content that informs, educates, and empowers readers.
He is passionate about political transparency, policy analysis, and the evolving landscape of Indian journalism.
When he’s not writing, you’ll find him reading non-fiction, watching documentaries, or exploring offbeat destinations