White House says it’s “deeply unserious” to suggest Trump comments on judges may lead to threats. Here’s what judges say.

March 1, 2026 | Heather Abbott and Paulina Smolinski | CBS

Federal District Judge John Coughenour was unprepared for what happened after he temporarily blocked President Trump’s birthright citizenship executive order last year and called it “blatantly unconstitutional.” He said he faced “dozens if not hundreds” of death threats.

“I’ve been at this for 44 years. I have never encountered the hostility toward the judiciary that has existed in this country in the last year,” Coughenour said. “And I don’t think it’s because we’re making bad decisions. I think it’s because there are people who think they can make a lot of political hay out of criticizing the federal judiciary.” . . .