A record number of U.S. Marshals-tracked threats against federal judges.

Ridiculous impeachment resolutions from members of Congress.

Supreme Court justices needing bullet-proof vests.

The start of a new Supreme Court term means a lot of things to a lot of people — celebration for some; trepidation for others — but if there’s one overarching theme that’s evident and worth calling out today (beyond the fact that we’re in for a blockbuster term), it’s that judges and justices are under threat to a greater degree than ever before.

Even after the tragic deaths of Charlie Kirk and Melissa and Mark Hortman, what did we see this past weekend but more threats against public officials and a judge who had her home burn to the ground.

One thing we all know in 2025 is that many people are too online (and too far right or far left), and some of those people are going to act on the rhetoric they see in their social media feeds.

When a top White House official calls a federal judge’s ruling an “insurrection,” or far-right activist writes, “It’s time for a showdown with these activist judges,” it’s only a matter of time before someone acts out. And somebody may have already, seeing as how an S.C. judge’s house burned down on Saturday. (Democrats aren’t immune from this disease, of course; to start, take the Dem. AG nominee in Virginia.)

Here’s where we’re at:

The court security account of the U.S. Marshals Service is already about $140 million, or 20 percent, short of where it needs to be. The Supreme Court Police Department, as well, could use several million in new funding to track threats. (We called for a supplemental of $50 million in May, but that went unheeded.)

The shutdown is not helping, of course, and neither is the government’s focus on recruiting ICE agents over every other LEO.

And state court judges too often lack the coverage they need to stay safe. (For more on this, watch the latest Speak Up for Justice event.)

As the justices sit down this morning to hear the first arguments of OT25, we hope they continue to call out the hostile rhetoric when they see or hear it, urge congressional leaders to end the shutdown and fully fund the court security account and do what they can in their merits and emergency dockets to keep our country functioning, respectable and respectful.

To everyone else out there, especially public officials and those with large followings, blowing up Reddit or X whenever a judge does something you don’t like, take it a down a peg.

If you don’t, you’re liable to get even more people killed, and our country has dealt with too many tragedies of late.