Federal judge: Trump criticism ‘breeds threats of violence against judges’

A federal judge in Seattle said that the way President Donald Trump speaks fuels threats against other federal judges.U.S. District Judge Robert Lasnik, appointed by former President Bill Clinton in 1998, made the comments in an interview with Oregon Public Broadcasting.”It’s OK to criticize our rulings, that’s perfectly alright,” Lasnik said. “But there’s no need to refer to a judge as a radical left-wing lunatic.””It breeds threats of violence against judges,” the judge added.APPEALS COURT BLOCKS TRUMP FROM FIRING FEDERAL BOARD MEMBERS, TEES UP SUPREME COURT FIGHT U.S. District Judge Robert Lasnik, right, said President Donald Trump’s rhetoric “breeds threats of violence against judges.” (Francis Chung/Politico/Bloomberg via Getty Images and United States Courts)Lasnik recalled offering support to the federal judges he works with, some of whom have blocked Trump’s executive orders.”Right away, they were subject to a lot of hostility online,” Lasnik said. “I tell them, ‘I feel for you, and especially for your families.’ It’s not easy for the families to see what your reaction is, and to worry about their own safety.”TRUMP-BACKED BILLS ON ACTIVIST JUDGES, NON-CITIZEN VOTING HEADING FOR HOUSE-WIDE VOTES President Donald Trump speaks during a meeting with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in the Oval Office of the White House on April 7, 2025 in Washington, D.C. (Kevin Dietsch/Getty Images)The U.S. House of Representatives is voting Tuesday on the “No Rogue Rulings Act,” a bill aimed at limiting district judges from issuing nationwide injunctions against executive actions. Lasnik said he is not hearing cases regarding Trump’s policies and is comfortable commenting on the current political climate, adding that he was disappointed to see the Department of Justice is becoming more political.CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP President Donald Trump signs an executive order in the Oval Office of the White House in Washington, D.C., on March 7, 2025. (REUTERS/Evelyn Hockstein/File Photo/File Photo)”There’s always been a wall between the sitting president and his attorney general,” Lasnik said. So it’s worrisome to see the attorney general talking about these judges needing to be removed…That’s very unfortunate.”Fox News Digital reached out to the White House for comment. Adam Sabes is a writer for Fox News Digital. Story tips can be sent to Adam.Sabes@fox.com and on Twitter @asabes10.