Former Justice Kennedy Warns Democracy at Risk Amid Growing Attacks on Judges

Former Supreme Court Justice Anthony Kennedy warned that the increasingly hostile political discourse in the United States, including President Donald Trump's public attacks on judges, threatens the country's democracy and judicial independence. Kennedy emphasized that such rhetoric, which has included calls for impeaching judges and labeling them as "monsters," undermines the rule of law and the essential role judges play in protecting freedom. At a virtual forum hosted by Speak Up for Justice, Kennedy and other judges from around the world expressed concern about the parallels between these attacks and authoritarian crackdowns elsewhere. Current Chief Justice John Roberts also condemned efforts to use impeachment as a response to judicial decisions. Judges like U.S. District Judge Esther Salas highlighted a surge in threats against judges and linked the hostile rhetoric to dangerous disinformation propagated from leadership. Kennedy stressed that judges and their families require protection, and that democracy requires civil discourse focused on issues rather than identity politics to survive and thrive.