The U.S. federal judiciary announced the creation of a new task force aimed at ensuring the safety and independence of the courts. This move comes as President Donald Trump and his supporters intensify their criticism of judges who block his policies.
The Judicial Security and Independence Task Force was revealed in a memo reviewed by Reuters. The memo followed calls from Republican lawmakers to limit judges’ powers, reduce judicial funding, or even impeach judges who ruled against the Trump administration.
Judge Robert Conrad, head of the Administrative Office of U.S. Courts, did not directly mention Trump in his memo sent to judges nationwide. He explained that the task force would be led by U.S. District Judge James Bredar from Baltimore. The task force’s goal is to identify issues and propose solutions to ensure the safety of judges and the continued independence of the courts.
The hope is that this initiative will improve the protection of individual judges and preserve the independence of the judiciary, Conrad noted.
Bredar, a Democratic appointee by former President Barack Obama, is involved in many of the lawsuits challenging Trump’s policies. For example, he recently ordered the Trump administration to reinstate 25,000 workers who had lost their jobs due to Trump’s federal workforce reductions.
Bredar expressed a willingness to limit his ruling, explaining his hesitation in issuing a nationwide injunction. He did not respond to requests for comment. The Administrative Office declined to comment on the matter.
The task force includes U.S. Circuit Judge Richard Sullivan, who leads the judiciary’s security committee, and U.S. District Judge John Bates, who was appointed by Republican President George W. Bush. Bates is one of the six judges facing impeachment resolutions after ruling against the Trump administration.
Trump has called for the impeachment of U.S. District Judge James Boasberg, who blocked his attempt to use wartime powers to deport Venezuelan migrants. This led Chief U.S. Supreme Court Justice John Roberts to issue a rare statement, warning that impeachment is not an appropriate response to judicial disagreements, which can be appealed.
These developments have raised concerns over the safety of judges. On Tuesday, U.S. House Speaker Mike Johnson reminded that Congress holds power over the judiciary, including control over funding and the ability to eliminate district courts altogether.
The Republican-led House is expected to soon address a bill that would prevent district court judges from issuing nationwide injunctions that block federal policies.
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