Supreme Court Justices Tell Lawmakers of Sharp Rise in Threats, Request Security Funding

The two justices described a security environment that has changed dramatically since they joined the bench. Barrett recounted that before recent security enhancements, the justices drove their own cars to work, went to the movies and shopped at supermarkets unaccompanied, and handled their private travel on their own. She told the panel that six weeks before the hearing, her home had been "swatted," with local police responding to a fake emergency call. Barrett's security detail prevented local officers from entering the home.

Barrett describes swatting and a bulletproof vest

Barrett also described bringing a bulletproof vest home a few years ago and struggling to explain it to her young son. "My 12-year-old son was standing in the doorway of my bedroom, and he wanted to know what it was," she said. "And I didn't know how to respond because I didn't expect that performing this service was going to put me in the position of explaining to my children what a bulletproof vest was and why I had to wear one."

Kagan said the court's police force expects a 38% annual increase in threats this year, and that the number of threats has grown exponentially. That figure, she noted, is the correct one; a correction issued on July 14, 2026, stated that the police force itself did not expand by 38%. The surge in threats has prompted major changes in how the justices and their homes are protected, as well as additional cybersecurity funding.

Kagan: criticism is fair, intimidation is not

Kagan drew a line between criticism of the judiciary, which she said is fair game, and intimidation, which she said does not. Citing the chief justice's 2025 year-end report, she said: "And he talked about, like, criticism is fair game. I mean, go for it. But intimidation is a different thing entirely. And when political figures of any stripe are trying to intimidate judges, that's where we really have crossed a line."

Ethics rules and gift limits

The hearing also surfaced a longstanding asymmetry in gift rules. Members of Congress and the executive branch are limited to gifts under $50, but the Supreme Court has no such cap. Democratic Congresswoman Rosa DeLauro said she supports a bill that would ban most gifts to Supreme Court justices and called for an enforcement mechanism for the court's ethics rules.

Kagan said she supports creating a panel of distinguished retired judges to enforce the court's ethics code, but acknowledged that designing such a system is difficult. She argued that neither the president nor Congress should impose a system on the court, in order to preserve judicial independence. Barrett, for her part, was skeptical of the retired-judges proposal, asking: "Who selects the judges? How is the panel comprised?"

Historical context for court security

Kagan also offered historical context, noting that it was Republican Darrell Issa and Democrat Elijah Cummings who, about ten years ago, insisted that the court bolster its security after Justice Antonin Scalia died in his sleep on a hunting trip with no security nearby to respond quickly. She said threats against judges have included fake emergency "swatting" calls and pizza deliveries made in the name of a judge's murdered son.

Democratic Senator Jack Reed asked the justices about President Trump's reaction to recent court rulings, a question that pointed to the broader political climate surrounding the court. Kagan condemned political rhetoric that she said turned up the temperature, while Barrett focused her remarks on the personal toll the threat environment has taken on justices and their families.

Lawmakers noted that members of Congress, of both parties, have in recent years experienced a large spike in threats similar to the one the justices described, and judges around the country have also faced a rise in threats of violence and intimidation. The justices framed their funding request as part of a broader effort to safeguard the federal judiciary as an institution.

The testimony underscored how the physical and digital security of the Supreme Court has become an operational priority rather than a peripheral concern. Barrett and Kagan made clear that the changes are not abstract: they have altered daily routines, family life and the way the justices move through their communities.

The appropriations subcommittees will now weigh the court's budget request, including the additional security and cybersecurity funding the justices described. The hearing closed without a commitment from lawmakers on the specific size of any increase.